How much is too much? Some questioning Montreal homeowner’s Halloween decoration

Warning: this article contains images some may find disturbing

With Halloween approaching, many Montrealers are setting up decorations and getting into the festivities. But for one homeowner is creating a lot of buzz – leaving many asking, how much is too much?

In front of the home, there are the usual suspects – witches, skeletons, and grim reapers – but the main attraction is the realistic dummy hung by the neck with a pillowcase over its head and duct tape around its body. At the bottom of it – there’s a board that reads “fake”.

WARNING: Some readers may find the following images disturbing

Originally it hung on a tree – but after the city told Mathew Farah the homeowner behind the decor it couldn’t be there – he created his own stand.

CityNews spoke to the homeowner to ask what gave him the idea to put up the decoration.

“I don’t know. I just thought I should go the extra mile. You know, be really spooky, creepier,” explained Farah. “I thought people would really enjoy it. And I wasn’t wrong. Some people did enjoy it, loved it. And I guess some people didn’t.”

A woman told CityNews off camera she thought the decoration was real when she first saw it and found it was in bad taste.

The comments from the Facebook page “Montreal Then and Now”, where the decorations were first posted follow the same sentiment.

One comment said, “I don’t like it. Witches, Goblins, and Ghosts are okay and fun. But hanging a human being is not funny or scary just disturbing and sad …Nothing to joke about.”

Another saying, “Not amusing at all!”

But some on the post say they see no problem with the decorations. One saying, “It’s Halloween, it is supposed to be spooky, weird and disturbing.”

For Farah, he says this is nothing out of the ordinary for him. And while there are mixed reactions, he says there was never any ill intent.

“I’m not here to offend anywhere, you know, make enemies. Just trying to give to the community, my nieces and nephews that come every year and they just love it,” he told CityNews.

Laurence Cardin who lives in the neighbourhood, says she’ll stick to the old fashion decorations this year.

“I think there’s other ways to be spooky. It’s not to my taste, but I don’t feel very shocked, I would say. But maybe it wasn’t the best idea,” said Cardin “I would have maybe put it down if I were him. Like, I’m just putting up pumpkins in front of my door. That’s more my theme,” Cardin said.

If you feel you or someone you know may need help, reach out to the Distress Centre 24-Hour Crisis Line at 403-266-HELP (4357) or talk with someone online.