A Commercial Drive storeowner was forced to take down his Halloween mock-up after it was plastered last week with photos of missing women, apparently because the bloody bed behind the display was too lifelike.
Mintage Vintage’s year-round vintage displays have never been a problem before, said co-owner Skylar Stock. But last week, the vintage shop was bombarded with complaints, with some saying the storefront — which featured a bedroom splattered with fake blood — conjures negative images to victims of violence.
“They plastered glue all over my window and then they plastered photographs all over my window,” Stock said, shocked after discovering the damage Friday. He’s since taken down the display for fear of further vandalism.
“As I was cleaning it off, there were people yelling at me calling me a typical f---ing male,” he said, adding there were many negative comments also scrawled on walls and the sidewalk. “I didn’t know whether or not they wanted to smash my window or firebomb my store, either way I don’t want to find out.”
Protestors held signs calling for the display’s removal last week, citing missing and murdered women in the DTES, just hours before the window was vandalized.
Stock said displays during previous Halloweens were equally grotesque.
“Every year I do a window display, and every year people tell me what they think of it. … (This) gets beyond the realm of that.”
The co-owner added he has not called police. A disclaimer has now also been put up on the storefront, saying displays are not intended to reflect real-life events.
“I’m a victim of vandalism, that I can handle.”
