A Bournemouth cafe has faced criticism from the local council for hosting a '9/11 watch party' on the anniversary of the attack, an event where guests can 'experience the fears and tears' of the tragedy in real time.
The event, staged by political arts group Verdurin at Wild Boscombe Cafe, is part of the Adam Curtis Party Conference and marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed when two hijacked planes flew into the World Trade Centre in 2001.
Event details and format
Attendees are required to leave their phones at the door and will watch raw footage of the attacks alongside live news reports. The online advertisement for the event says it 'rebroadcasts the responses of the mainstream media, twinning them with conspiratorial commentators in an installation of overwhelming scale.'
The advert adds: 'By the end of the evening, you will have been taken in by the seductive power of conspiracy theories. If you were there when it happened, you can refresh your memories. If you were too young, get a feel for what it was like as it happened.'
Council and organiser responses
Local councillors have said the event turns 'a tragedy into a spectacle', but the venue argued it was 'not intended as a celebration or trivialisation'. Curator Pierre d'Alancaisez described it as an opportunity to 'review our hyperreality's fundamental building block'.
He told GB News: "That phrase about turning this into a spectacle. These events were spectacular in that these attacks were engineered for the camera. The entire point is to reconstruct our relationship with the media we simply do not have anymore. What we are showing are historical documents, already available to the public that, owing to their ongoing global influence, warrant wide engagement and scrutiny. There will be no spectacle here… other than the 'spectacle' constructed in 2001 by news organisations in real time."
Councillor's concern
Christchurch councillor Simon McCormack said he was 'deeply concerned' by the event. He said: "Nearly 3,000 people were murdered on 9/11, while countless survivors, emergency workers and bereaved families continue to live with the consequences. This was a real human tragedy—not entertainment, a 'watch party' or an experience to be recreated for an audience."
He added: "There are respectful ways to remember the victims, educate people about what happened and examine how the attacks changed the world. But packaging their final moments and the suffering of their families as an immersive event crosses a line and risks turning tragedy into spectacle. I do not believe this is appropriate for Bournemouth, particularly on such a significant anniversary. I urge the organisers and venue to reconsider out of respect for the victims, survivors and their families."
The Mirror has contacted Verdurin for comment.
