Bill Cosby's scheduled Ontario appearances met with calls for peaceful protest

Strap yourselves in, Ontario. The controversial series of performances by embattled comedian Bill Cosby are set to begin on Wednesday.

It seems everyone has chosen sides, either intent on attending the shows in Kitchener, London and Hamilton despite the more than two dozen allegations of rape and sexual assault recently leveled against the 77-year-old performer, or intent on protesting his presence in Ontario.

Even the province’s premier was compelled to weigh in on the growing discord.

But while it seems battle lines are growing ahead of Cosby’s three-night appearance in Ontario, so are appeals for calm.

Innovation Arts & Entertainment (IAE), the agency behind Cosby’s Ontario appearances, released a statement to Yahoo Canada News on Tuesday, urging everyone involved in the concert series and the expected protests to remain non-violent.

"In no uncertain terms, the men and women of IAE condemn physical violence in any form," the statement reads.

"We also speak on behalf of our host venues in Southwestern Ontario by stating that they as well condemn physical violence of all kinds. The fact that an artist is performing on stages at each of these venues is no endorsement, in any way, of behavior of that artist."

The agency added, “We call on those organizing protest events, to publicly condemn violence, and to speak loudly in support of peaceful protest, and to respect the safety of all attendees.”

In a separate statement released by Cosby to several media outlets, he urged concert goers to remain calm in the face of expected interruptions.

"If a disruption occurs, please remain calm until the matter is resolved and do not confront the person making the disruption," reads the statement released to CTV Toronto.

The comments come as expectations of protests ramp up and several groups have hinted that the concerts themselves may be impacted in some way.

The concert venues in Kitchener, London and Hamilton have faced calls to shut down Cosby’s scheduled appearances, but have said they cannot afford to break the contracts signed well before the Cosby controversy erupted.

In the wake, groups of protesters have begun planning demonstrations outside the events and some groups have called for those who have tickets may either boycott the event or heckle Cosby off the stage.

Organizers of an outdoor protest in London, Ont., have hinted that ticket holders unaffiliated with their protest also plan to disrupt the show.

In Kitchener, a group called Voices Carry have organized a protest concert nearby. Anyone who had purchased tickets to the Cosby concert can get into their event for free.

Meantime, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne told reporters that she would not consider attending a Cosby concert until the allegations against him have cleared.

"There are very serious allegations against this man and certainly until those are sorted out, I would certainly not go to a performance," she said during a press conference, via CTV News.

They mayors of Kitchener, London and Hamilton have also come out against Cosby, some even calling for the shows’ cancellations.

With the series set to start on Wednesday in Kitchener, there is little doubt the shows will go on. But one thing is clear. The shows will be protested, they may even be disrupted.

But it seems, at least, that everyone involved wants them to remain peaceful.