The owner of a Halifax axe-throwing venue is speaking out after his business received numerous negative reviews following an incident Saturday night.
Marc Chisholm, owner of Timber Lounge Halifaxe, said he received a call Saturday about a group of customers, some of whom identified themselves as being affiliated with the “Proud Boys” group.
READ MORE: ‘This rhetoric isn’t harmless’: negative reaction to the presence of ‘Proud Boys’ in Halifax
Chisholm said he’s not sure if all of those at the business were part of the Proud Boys group, but a few of them were.
He said staff contacted him, and one of them expressed he was uncomfortable with coaching them.
He said there was “no scene” when the group left.
The Proud Boys made national headlines earlier this month when five men identifying themselves as group members interrupted an Indigenous ceremony in Halifax on Canada Day.
At the ceremony, the men walked up to where the group had gathered around a statue of the city’s founder Edward Cornwallis to mourn atrocities against Indigenous Peoples.
Wearing black polo shirts with yellow piping — one of them carrying a Red Ensign Flag — the men sang “God Save the Queen” as they walked toward the ceremony.
WATCH: The interruption of an Indigenous protest by Canadian Armed Forces members representing the “Proud Boys” organization has many wondering who the “Proud Boys” are and what their presence means in Canada. Dave Squires has more on that story.
Only three days later, the Canadian Armed Forces confirmed the five men were members of the military and apologized for their actions. The men have since been suspended with pay as an investigation was conducted.
Many of the comments on the Timber Lounge Facebook page claiming people were thrown out due to “political views” and being members of the Armed Forces.
“I will not take part in an establishment that does not respect members of the armed forces. I will also not take part in an establishment that turns people away for political purposes. Shameful,” reads one comment.
“Absolutely terrible treatment to a military service member,” said another.
But Chisholm said that is not the case.
“We do everything we can to encourage a safe, positive environment for everyone that walks in there.”
He said they’ve even thrown out some bachelor parties before for safety.
READ MORE: Canadian Armed Forces apologize for members’ actions at Indigenous ceremony in Halifax
Chisholm added he’d like the situation to just fade away because “with axes and beer, we have the right to make decisions.”
The business has been open since May 2016.
—With files from Alexander Quon, Global News and The Canadian Press
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