Avril Lavigne Confronts Topless Environmental Protester Onstage at Juno Awards

(MENAFN) The Juno Awards, Canada's equivalent of the Brits, was marred by an environmental protest on Monday when a topless woman stormed the stage behind Avril Lavigne during the opening speech. The pop-rocker was introducing a performance when the woman ran onto the stage, wearing a message on her back that read "save the green belt". It was apparently in reference to a controversial housing development plan by the Ontario government. Lavigne tried to finish her speech before confronting the woman, saying, "Get the [expletive] off," and swatting at her breast. A security guard then escorted the intruder off the stage.

Lavigne alluded to the incident in her later acceptance speech, saying "Now, nobody try anything this time. I'll [mess a woman] up." The ceremony's host, Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu, praised Lavigne, who is from Ontario, for "handling that topless lady like a champion". The Ontario government's plan to remove 7,400 acres of protected Greenbelt land and open it up for housing has been criticised by environmental groups. It will lead to 50,000 new homes being built by 2025. The move is under investigation by the province's auditor general and integrity commissioner.

The ceremony saw Toronto singer The Weeknd become the second most-honoured artist of all time, winning album of the year for Dawn FM, a concept record set in purgatory. The win gave him his 22nd Juno award, overtaking Celine Dion and Bryan Adams. Only country-pop singer Anne Murray has more, with 24. The musician, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, did not attend the event, and his absence reportedly prompted jeers from the crowd at the Rogers Place venue in Edmonton, Alberta.

At the Juno Awards, rock band Nickelback, whose lead singer Chad Kroeger used to be married to Lavigne, were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Kroeger referenced the band's hometown, saying "Twenty seven years, blood sweat and tears, started off 300 kilometres southeast of here in a little town called Hanna". He added, "We had no idea what we were doing and most of the time still don't. But everything we did wound up leading us to this moment right here. But we didn't make it here without a lot of help." The band closed the show by performing their hits Rockstar, How You Remind Me, and Animals.

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