People Showed Up To This Law Enforcement Event In Blackface And Other Offensive Halloween Costumes

The organizers have since apologized and removed photos from Facebook.

Organizers of a law enforcement Halloween event have apologized after some guests showed up in blackface and other offensive costumes.

Facebook.

The Halloween dance was put on by the Newfoundland and Labrador Law Enforcement Torch Run as a fundraiser for the Special Olympics.

According to the director of NL LETR, Lynette Wells, the organization includes officers "from a multitude of service agencies" in the province.

"It was not our intension to offend anyone but celebrate diversity," Wells said in a statement to BuzzFeed Canada in response to questions about the event.

"To those we have offended we sincerely apologize. Clearly from the work we do on the job and in our volunteer roles we support diversity and inclusion."

The event was open to the public and drew several people in stereotypical costumes, like these "tribal" outfits that included painted black faces.

Facebook

The dance was held in Mount Pearl, just outside St. John's, on Oct. 28. Photos of attendees' costumes were uploaded to the Facebook page of NL LETR.

There was also an Arab sheikh, as well as a couple dressed as a cowboy and an Indigenous person.

Facebook

"Couldn't find the cowboy and Indian!!!" read the Facebook photo caption. "Got em now!"

The event had "close to 100" attendees, according to the person who flagged the photos to BuzzFeed Canada. She preferred not to be named due to the small size of the law enforcement community in the St. John's area.

"That's pretty bad that not only did they have these costumes at your their event but then they also displayed them publicly on Facebook," she said.

"It's almost like they didn't realize how terrible it was that people did that."

The photos were removed from Facebook after BuzzFeed Canada contacted NL LETR for comment.