Fireworks in Himalayas sparks outrage, forcing Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx to apologize

Rain clouds are seen above some peaks of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalaya after a rainfall, Sunday, June 7, 2020.

Hong Kong — The sight of a multi-coloured fireworks exploding in the foothills of the Himalayas has sparked a furious environmental backlash, prompting a local government investigation in China and forcing global outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx to issue an apology.

The Canadian-headquartered, Chinese-owned, brand teamed up with artist Cai Guo-Qiang to stage the massive “Rising Dragon” fireworks display on Friday at a Tibetan plateau located about 5,500 metres (18,000 feet) above sea level in Shigatse, the second largest city in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

An official video, which has since been taken down, showed a vibrant spectacle of fireworks being unleashed from the top of a mountain, forming a winding line that Cai – the mastermind behind 2008 Beijing Olympic Games’ fireworks display – likened to a dragon.

But criticism quickly began to pile in on Chinese social media, where users denounced the advertising stunt as ignorant of the potential environmental impacts in a remote and pristine ecosystem.

On Sunday, local authorities launched an investigation. More than 92 million people have tuned in to read related posts about the establishment of the investigation unit on Chinese social media Weibo over the past two days.

“The Shigatse party committee and government take the matter seriously and have set up an investigation team to send to the site immediately to investigate,” the city’s local communist party committee said in a statement on Chinese social media platform WeChat.

It will handle the outcome “in accordance with the law and regulations,” it said.

Arc’teryx, founded in Canada and acquired by a consortium led by Chinese sports apparel giant Anta Sports in 2019, issued an apology on both Weibo and on Instagram on Monday.

“This event was in direct opposition to our commitment to outdoor spaces, who we are, and who we want to be for our people and our community. We are deeply disappointed that this happened and apologize, full stop,” the brand said on Instagram.

The brand, which has become popular with the Chinese middle class, said on Weibo that it would invite a third-party environmental organization to conduct a transparent assessment and take effective action to make up for any damage that may have been caused.

Cai, the artist, also took to Chinese social media to apologize, acknowledging there were “several areas that failed to be taken into account properly.”

“My studio and I attach great importance to this and humbly accept all criticisms of (our) artistic creation on the snowy plateau with a modest heart and sincerely thank you for your concern and reminders,” Cai wrote Monday on Douyin, China’s version of Tik Tok.

The artist, known for his gunpowder paintings and outdoor pyrotechnic spectacles, was born in the southern Chinese city of Quanzhou but has been based in New York since the mid-90s.

He said he will “proactively cooperate with” authorities’ assessment on the ecological impacts and “take practical action” to protect the plateau, pledging more stringent measures in the future.

Despite the apologies, Chinese state media has doubled down on its criticism of the display, with the Global Times, known for its more hawkish stance, highlighting an apparent discrepancy between Arc’teryx statements on its Weibo and Instagram.

On Instagram, the brand said it would address the matter with Cai and its team in China, without alluding to any third party to be brought in to conduct an environmental assessment.

“Some users questioned the sincerity of Arc’teryx’s apology… They argued that the reference to ‘working with the China team to adjust practices’ risked being seen as an attempt to shift responsibility,” the Global Times said.

The media outlet said Arc’teryx’s attitude and its proposed remedial measures would be the focus of overseas consumers’ attention.

On Weibo, some Chinese netizens demanded firmer action, with one user calling for the officials who green-lit the stunt to face justice.

“Arrest all those who have passed the approval process,” they wrote.

Other users focused on the irony. “Art for the earth should be about respecting nature and living things,” one user wrote in a post that garnered thousands of likes.

By Chris Lau, Kloe Zheng, CNN