Three Regina cheerleading teams are pulling out of an upcoming competition at West Edmonton Mall over safety concerns in the wake of a recent terrorist threat to the venue.
The Balfour Collegiate, Campbell Collegiate and Winston Knoll Collegiate cheerleading squads were set to compete in the championship event at North America's largest mall this weekend.
However, Regina Public Schools says it has decided against sending its cheerleading teams to the competition after parents raised safety concerns about the event.
“A number of parents came forward and said that they were not comfortable allowing their kids to go,” said Regina Public Schools spokesperson Terry Lazarou.
“We can’t ensure that our kids will be safe. This is no different than bad road conditions or a questionable venue. It’s a decision that was made for the safety of students.”
Lazarou wouldn’t say whether the safety concerns were related to recent threats that were made against West Edmonton Mall in an online video by the Somalia-based terror group al-Shabaab.
As of Saturday, 12 other cheerleading teams had withdrawn from the competition, according to the Alberta Cheerleading Association.
Saskatoon’s Bedford Road Collegiate cheer squad, which won the title last year, is among the 160 teams from B.C. to Ontario that are still registered for the event.
Last week, Edmonton police and RCMP said there was “no imminent threat” to West Edmonton Mall.
With files from CTV Saskatoon
