The Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York City has canceled Candace Owens’ planned BLEXIT event, accusing the organization of engaging in “hate speech” and “homophobia.”
BLEXIT is a movement and organization created by Owens to encourage black Americans to leave the Democrat Party.
According to the organization’s website, “BLEXIT is the movement to drive traditional American principles into urban communities across the United States of America – to promote economic independence, individual freedom, strengthen the nuclear family, and foster a deeper appreciation for patriotism in Black American culture.”
“We focus on shifting the culture as well as educating and uplifting minority America through educational programs and acts of community service,” the website states.
The event was scheduled to take place on June 17th and feature speakers including Charlie Kirk and Brandon Tatum.
On Wednesday, just three days before the event was supposed to occur, the venue announced on Instagram that they would no longer allow BLEXIT to rent the venue.
“June 17th Blexit event no longer taking place at Music Hall of Williamsburg,” the post began. “The event organizers presented themselves as ‘a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of urban and minority communities’ when they requested to rent the venue. It has become abundantly clear to us that in actuality this organization provides a platform for hate speech and homophobia, which The Bowery Presents will not tolerate, and we have canceled their rental contract. This event will Not take place in our venue.”
However, Pierre Wilson, director of BLEXIT, told Breitbart News that the venue knew it was a right-wing organization when the event was booked.
Wilson said that the woman helping them with the event “let us know straight up that she leans a little bit left,” but insisted that she “was 100 percent supportive of providing a platform for everyone” and said that she believed “all voices should be heard.”
BLEXIT even provided the woman with shows and YouTube videos to help explain who they are and what they do.
“They knew exactly who we were coming in,” the BLEXIT director added. “So everything was good, we signed a contract.”
Unfortunately, the venue staff began to get cold feet over a leftist’s anti-BLEXIT flyer posted to social media. She claimed there were safety concerns, but spoke to Turning Point USA’s head of security and everything seemed to be okay.
A few days later, after receiving pressure from artists who play the venue and leftwing activists, the event was cancelled.
Outrageous!!
A bunch of white liberal New Yorkers just cancelled a BLEXIT/TPUSA venue for an event featuring Brandon Tatum, Candace Owens, Anthony, Davis, and Yoenmi Park—3 black Americans and 1 North Korean defector—with less than three days notice.
Our event will go on AS…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 16, 2023
“I’m shocked that the Music Hall of Williamsburg, despite claiming to value diverse voices, would cancel an group primarily composed of Black Americans, simply because we have differing perspectives on how Black people should think,” Wilson told Breitbart News.
“I’m disappointed but not surprised that the venue said one thing in private, that they were worried about staff safety, but then went on social media to publicly proclaim they were making a stand against ‘hate.’ That’s a lie,” the BLEXIT director added. “They knew exactly who we were and exactly what we believe when we booked the venue.”
“Cancelling this event is the real example of hate and intolerance,” Wilson said. “We welcome all people at BLEXIT. This action represents a troubling example of cancel culture at its worst. It’s simply remarkable how much energy and effort New York City liberals put in to preventing Black and brown Americans from hearing a different point of view.”
WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED. See you Saturday, New York! pic.twitter.com/1RNfJ93Fyg
— BLEXIT (@BLEXIT) June 16, 2023
The event will now take place at the Triplex LIC.