First Avenue cancels Dave Chappelle show following backlash

UPDATE: Chappelle addressed First Ave cancellation, "ridiculed" protestors.

Minneapolis, MN venue First Avenue were criticized on social media after announcing a surprise Dave Chappelle show on Monday (7/18), scheduled for tonight (7/20). The venue has now released a statement that the show has been cancelled, and moved to a different venue. It reads:

To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry. We know we must hold ourselves to the highest standards, and we know we let you down. We are not just a black box with people in it, and we understand that First Ave is not just a room, but meaningful beyond our walls.

The First Avenue team and you have worked hard to make our venues the safest spaces in the country, and we will continue with that mission.

We believe in diverse voices and the freedom of artistic expression, but in honoring that, we lost sight of the impact this would have. We know there are some who will not agree with this decision; you are welcome to send feedback.

If you are a ticket holder, look for an email with information on your ticket(s) transferring to the show at Varsity Theater.

Netflix recently released a new Chappelle special, "What's In A Name?", where he addresses the controversy over last year's The Closer, which many called transphobic, and calls students who criticize him "instruments of oppression."