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| Frankie Boyle: Disability groups call for Belfast gig to be cancelled | Frankie Boyle: Disability groups call for Belfast gig to be cancelled |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A group calling for a Belfast show by comedian Frankie Boyle to be cancelled has said his jokes "poke fun at and mock children with disabilities". | A group calling for a Belfast show by comedian Frankie Boyle to be cancelled has said his jokes "poke fun at and mock children with disabilities". |
| The controversial Scot is due to perform at the part-publicly funded Féile an Phobail next month. | The controversial Scot is due to perform at the part-publicly funded Féile an Phobail next month. |
| Festival organisers have said it is the fastest-selling comedy gig they have ever put on. | Festival organisers have said it is the fastest-selling comedy gig they have ever put on. |
| But opponents are demanding that it is cancelled because of jokes Boyle has told about people with Down's syndrome. | But opponents are demanding that it is cancelled because of jokes Boyle has told about people with Down's syndrome. |
| The mother of a girl with the condition said that during a live show in 2010 he had "made fun of the way people with Down's syndrome speak" and "made a number of references to people with Down's syndrome dying early". | |
| A group of parents of children with disabilities and a number of disability charities say they have the support of thousands of people in calling for the comedian's appearance at the festival to be scrapped. | A group of parents of children with disabilities and a number of disability charities say they have the support of thousands of people in calling for the comedian's appearance at the festival to be scrapped. |
| And the Belfast Telegraph has reported that one of the founding members of Féile an Phobail, the former Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Belfast Tom Hartley, has become the first high-profile figure to publicly oppose the show. | And the Belfast Telegraph has reported that one of the founding members of Féile an Phobail, the former Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Belfast Tom Hartley, has become the first high-profile figure to publicly oppose the show. |
| His brother Stephen has Down's syndrome. | His brother Stephen has Down's syndrome. |
| Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
| Johnny Lundy, of Féile for Everyone, the group objecting to the show on 7 August, accused the festival of hypocrisy over booking Mr Boyle. | Johnny Lundy, of Féile for Everyone, the group objecting to the show on 7 August, accused the festival of hypocrisy over booking Mr Boyle. |
| "I don't think its acceptable at a community festival whose claim or remit is that it's a community for all and its disability awareness is second-to-none," he said. | "I don't think its acceptable at a community festival whose claim or remit is that it's a community for all and its disability awareness is second-to-none," he said. |
| "It's hypocritical to make that claim and then have somebody like Frankie Boyle appear at it. | "It's hypocritical to make that claim and then have somebody like Frankie Boyle appear at it. |
| "This is a community festival, it's part funded by public money, and it is seeking to mock one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. | "This is a community festival, it's part funded by public money, and it is seeking to mock one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. |
| "I object to my money being used to make my daughter and others like her the butt of his jokes." | "I object to my money being used to make my daughter and others like her the butt of his jokes." |
| A protest against the gig was held outside Féile an Phobail's offices in west Belfast on Friday, and the objectors are due to meet festival representatives on Monday. | A protest against the gig was held outside Féile an Phobail's offices in west Belfast on Friday, and the objectors are due to meet festival representatives on Monday. |
| A spokesman for the festival said organisers had already met with "concerned individuals and groups", including learning disability charity Mencap, to "discuss their concerns around the performance". | A spokesman for the festival said organisers had already met with "concerned individuals and groups", including learning disability charity Mencap, to "discuss their concerns around the performance". |
| "We're looking forward to meeting this group and hearing what they have to say," the spokesman said. | "We're looking forward to meeting this group and hearing what they have to say," the spokesman said. |
| The spokesman added that he did not wish to comment further until after the meeting. | The spokesman added that he did not wish to comment further until after the meeting. |
| Distinction | Distinction |
| Around 2,000 tickets have already been sold and the festival is expecting a capacity crowd of 2,500 at the show. | Around 2,000 tickets have already been sold and the festival is expecting a capacity crowd of 2,500 at the show. |
| Spiked Magazine's Tom Slater said Boyle "is not some sort of anti-disabilist hate-preacher", and said the opposition to his show was hysterical. | Spiked Magazine's Tom Slater said Boyle "is not some sort of anti-disabilist hate-preacher", and said the opposition to his show was hysterical. |
| "He is not going around inciting violence," Mr Slater said. | "He is not going around inciting violence," Mr Slater said. |
| "He is going around making very crass, very unpleasant jokes that a lot of people, quite rightly, are upset by. | "He is going around making very crass, very unpleasant jokes that a lot of people, quite rightly, are upset by. |
| "We need to make a distinction. | "We need to make a distinction. |
| "I think we need to get some kind of perspective on this kind of alarmist rhetoric of whereby we see any kind of offensive statement as potentially damaging." | "I think we need to get some kind of perspective on this kind of alarmist rhetoric of whereby we see any kind of offensive statement as potentially damaging." |
| The BBC has contacted Frankie Boyle's representatives but has yet to receive a response. | The BBC has contacted Frankie Boyle's representatives but has yet to receive a response. |