Two New Justin Trudeau Blackface Pictures Emerge Hours After His Apology
Just hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an emotional apology for a picture showing him in brownface at a party in 2001, two new pictures emerged of the Canadian leader wearing blackface in his teenage years.
As The Daily Mail noted, the pictures came out amid the ongoing controversy from a picture showing Trudeau as a teacher dressing up as a Middle Eastern man during an Arabian Nights party held at his school in 2001. As the report noted, the new pictures showed Trudeau dressed up in other costumes while he was in high school close to a decade earlier.
“In the first new photograph, Trudeau is dressed up as Jamaican singer Harry Belafonte to sing Day-O, a Jamaican song, at Jean Brebeuf High School at a talent show,” the report read. “He graduated from the school in the early 1990s.”
“The second is taken from a video which is undated but was given to Global News on Wednesday. The outlet confirmed with a senior member of the Liberal campaign that it was Trudeau. It shows him raising his arms and sticking his tongue out while dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans.”
The pictures were released just days after Trudeau officially launched his re-election bid, and he was on the campaign trail on Wednesday when he spoke to reporters to apologize to the Canadian people for the first brownface photo. Trudeau said that he was disappointed in himself and that he should have known better, saying he took full responsibility for the actions and asking Canadians to forgive him.
After his apology, Trudeau acknowledged the other incident from his high school days in which he had appeared in blackface at a talent show.
As Fox News noted, the incidents come as Trudeau appears to be locked in a tight election battle with Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.
The incident also follows a series of controversies for American politicians who wore blackface, including Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, who was photographed wearing blackface in a picture that was published in his 1984 medical school yearbook. Alabama Govenor Kay Ivey also appeared in blackface for a college skit more than 50 years ago, leading to a public apology.
?@JustinTrudeau? in blackface at Jean Brebeuf high school. #cdnpoli #elxn43 #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/q6v5bgYJvJ
— Robert Fife (@RobertFife) September 19, 2019
Justin Trudeau had earned a reputation as a progressive world leader and has spoken with pride about the inclusiveness of his administration. But the blackface incidents have led to widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, including New Democratic party leader Jagmeet Singh, who questioned Trudeau’s commitment to diversity.
