Canadian pop star, Avril Lavigne, made headlines at the Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Brits, after confronting a topless environmental protester who stormed the stage during her introduction to a performance.
The woman, whose back was emblazoned with the message “save the green belt”, a reference to a controversial housing development plan by the Ontario government, was swiftly removed by security.
Lavigne, who is from Ontario, attempted to finish her introduction before turning to the protester and saying, “Get the [expletive] off,” while swatting at her breast, according to CBC News.
Later in the ceremony, while accepting the TikTok Juno fan choice award, Lavigne joked, “Now, nobody try anything this time. I’ll [mess a woman] up,” making reference to the earlier incident.
The move by the Ontario government to remove 7,400 acres of protected Greenbelt land and open it up for housing has been met with criticism by environmental groups. The plan, which aims to build 50,000 new homes by 2025, is currently under investigation by the province’s auditor general and integrity commissioner.
Despite the interruption, Lavigne’s performance went ahead as planned, and the ceremony’s host, Shang-Chi actor, Simu Liu, praised her for “handling that topless lady like a champion.”
