Toronto club Kool Haus has issued last-minute cancellations of shows by two controversial reggae and dancehall artists.

Elephant Man and Sizzla were scheduled to perform last Friday and Oct. 5, respectively. Human rights groups have accused both Jamaican artists of homophobic lyrics that incite violence against the gay community.

Stop Murder Music Canada, a coalition of 20 organizations that promote human rights, has been vocal about the artists. Founder Akim Larcher told the Toronto Star, “They shouldn’t have been allowed to get visas to perform in the country. It’s not about censorship or artistic freedom. That stops when hate propaganda is involved.”

Stop Murder Music has called on the federal government to step in and for the CRTC, which regulates radio and television airwaves, to ban such artists.

Larcher says his group is focused on promoting awareness of homophobia in Jamaica, where attacks and threats on gays and lesbians are on the rise, according to Amnesty International.

It was reported last week that police would monitor the Toronto concerts for hate speech.

Prior to the cancellations, ticket sales for the Elephant Man show had been poor.

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