A cafe in Bournemouth, England, is facing significant backlash and boycott threats over its plan to host a 9/11 "watchalong party." The event, scheduled for Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, invites attendees to "relive" the September 11, 2001, events for £15 per person.
Guests at the Wild Boscombe Cafe have been asked to surrender their phones and experience "the fear, tears, and paranoia of the live news channel analysis and raw footage of the disaster." The screening aims to present rolling news coverage and commentary from the day of the attacks.
The cafe owners have stated the event is "not intended as a celebration or trivialisation" of the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people. However, the proposal has ignited strong reactions on social media, with many deeming it "sickening" and in "very bad taste."
"Having watched this unfolding the first time round, I cannot understand anyone wanting to again. It was sickening. A macabre curiosity? I don't think so," wrote one local resident. Another commented, "Speaking as someone who was in New York that day this is abhorrent. Absolutely mindless."
The event is being presented as an art installation by the political arts group Verdurin, as part of the Adam Curtis Party Conference. Organizers describe it as an "opportunity to review once more the raw television image" and a chance to experience "our hyperreality's fundamental building block." An online listing also suggests the event will explore the "seductive power of conspiracy theories."
Local councilor Simon McCormack expressed concern, stating, "This was a real human tragedy - not entertainment, a 'watch party' or an experience to be recreated for an audience." He added that while there are respectful ways to remember the victims and examine the attacks' impact, "packaging their final moments and the suffering of their families as an immersive event crosses a line and risks turning tragedy into spectacle."
McCormack urged the organizers and venue to reconsider "out of respect for the victims, survivors and their families." The cafe owners acknowledged that the event's title and subject matter, particularly without context, have caused concern and stated they "recognize that the subject matter and deliberately provocative title will not be comfortable for everyone."