Five Alarm Funk Issue Statement on “Unacceptable” Groping Incident at Sweat Fest │ Exclaim!

Vancouver’s Five Alarm Funk have issued a statement following a groping incident at their inaugural weekend-long Sweat Fest event at the Hollywood Theatre at the beginning of the month.

“It has come to our attention that during the second set of our Saturday [October 3] show at Sweat Fest, a man groped multiple women in the crowd and left before security could be notified,” the band wrote. “We are so sorry to the women who were targeted. What happened to you was unacceptable, and it should never happen at one of our shows.”

“For over 20 years, we’ve worked to build an audience that feels like a community, a place where everyone can feel safe and be themselves,” FAF continued. “Touching someone without their consent has no place here, and we will not tolerate it.”

The band explained that they’ve been working alongside the venue and one of the victims to identify the perpetrator, with the intention to ban him from all of their shows going forward. They’ve also asked that any concertgoers please alert security immediately if they ever feel unsafe.

Read the full statement below.