Christchurch restaurant slammed over 'suicide curry' competition

The Christchurch restaurant Two Fat Indians has been accused of promoting suicide.
The Christchurch restaurant Two Fat Indians has been accused of promoting suicide. Photo credit: Facebook/Two Fat Indians & Waata Keating.

A Christchurch restaurant has agreed to rename its hot curry eating competition after being accused of "promoting suicide".

Christchurch man Waata Keating said he was outraged by the name of Two Fat Indians' 'Suicide Curry Championships'.

"It sends the message that suicide is a game and disrespects the ones who have lost people to suicide," he said in a video posted to Facebook.

Mr Keating said he'll be protesting at the central city restaurant tonight, showing off signs reading 'suicide is not an advertising tool', 'using suicide to make money is disgusting' and 'stop using our pain to make your money'.

He claims the restaurant dismissed his concerns when he called them on Wednesday.

A comment on the event page for the competition also called out the restaurant for "promoting suicide".

"Suicide is the highest it has ever been in New Zealand and it is not okay to glorify it in this way. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Two Fat Indians owner Nasir Khan told Newshub the competition name was not intended to offend anyone, and there had been no complaints in previous years.

He said they had already organised T-shirts and other prizes, so it was too late to change the name now, but they would be calling it something different in future.

"We definitely hear what people are saying and we will change the name in future years. We don't want to offend anybody."

He hopes protesters are "open to talk about it" if they show up on Thursday night.

Newshub.

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