A Canadian restaurant was vandalized and accused of promoting “sexism” and “violence against women” because its name contains a double entendre.
The Montreal restaurant “La Mâle Bouffe” takes a playful spin in the French word “malbouffe,” which translates to “junk food.” The restaurant advertises itself with a logo of a mustached, shirtless man covered in tattoos.
Activists, however, took offense to the store’s branding:
The French-language Le Journal de Montréal reports on June 2, the owner of the restaurant, Jacques Larocque, discovered a large rock had been thrown through the store's window. Posters were placed throughout the neighborhood, mocking the restaurant’s logo. The posters depict a woman with her arms crossed, bare breasts, and tattoos depicting anarchist and feminists symbols:
Image source: Le Journal de Montréal
A translation of the poster provided by "Eater Montreal" reports the poster reads:
“When gentrification and sexism get on well together. Against a neighbourhood that is more and more 'clean,' expensive, and chauvinist. Against the escalation of violence against women. Reclaim our neighbourhoods and resume control of our streets."
In an interview with Le Journal de Montréal, translated by "Eater Montreal," Larocque insisted he did not mean offense:
“The concept behind the name La Mâle Bouffe is purely marketing. We make good food in slightly larger portions and wanted the name to be a play on words with junk food. I don't want to attack anyone personally.”
The owner added the individual who designed the logo is a woman.
In addition to the “sexism” of the restaurant’s name, the protesters also took offense to the restaurant for promoting “gentrification.” On the topic, Larocque allegedly told reporters:
“I was raised here from the age of two, so when I read that they want to take back their neighbourhood, I tell them it's been 30 years that I've lived here. I lived here when it was really poor and I'm glad that the neighbourhood is no longer as poor."