Bill Cosby was hit with fresh allegations of sexual assault from three women just as protesters gathered outside the comedian's show in Kitchener, Ont. on Wednesday.
The temperature was about -19 degrees Celsius as a small protest formed outside the Centre in the Square theatre, about an hour before Cosby was set to take the stage at 7:30 p.m.
Fewer than 20 protesters were estimated outside the venue before the show began.
Cosby was greeted with "loud applause and whoops" as he took the stage, CBC News reporter Matthew Kang tweeted.
London Free Press journalist Dale Carruthers tweeted that the venue was about three-quarters full. Global News reporter Alan Carter said the crowd was mainly comprised of people in their 50s and 60s, though there were some younger couples.
CBC News reported that people who had tickets were trying to sell them ahead of the show.
One ticket holder, Aatif Baskanderi, offered six tickets he had bought for $600 at half price, after his family decided not to attend following the sex assault allegations against the comedian.
Global News reporter Cindy Pom tweeted that a woman who said she had been raped was escorted out of Cosby's show after she started "crying uncontrollably."
The "peaceful" protest outside was estimated at about two dozen people just before 8 p.m.
But that wasn't the only event happening in the area on Wednesday night.
A second event, Voices Carry, was held at Kitchener's Dallas Nightclub as a fundraiser for the Sexual Assault Centre and Women's Crisis Services in Waterloo, The Toronto Star reported.
The event had a series of musicians lined up as an alternative to Cosby's show.
One attendant had six tickets to see Cosby, but decided to go to the fundraiser.
Those who still had Cosby tickets were allowed to trade them in for admission to Voices Carry.
Protesters were still present at the end of the show, as Cosby left the venue.
Lawyer Gloria Allred held a news conference Wednesday with three women who say that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them.
Two of the alleged incidents reportedly took place in Las Vegas, while another allegedly happened at the Bel-Air hotel.
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