‘Woke generation’ threatening Halloween celebration

Community members in Sydney’s inner west are divided on one home’s Halloween decorations, with one member of the community refuses to walk by display — but not everyone is sympathetic.

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When Halloween comes, some houses trick, others like to treat, but one inner west house is causing an uproar.

Days after concerned Facebook user posted that decorations were limiting where she could walk this October, residents have hit back at the lady who asked for fake spiders not to be put near front fences or gates.

She made a particular call out for a house on Hampden Rd in Russell Lea which has an enormous red-back spider on its roof.

Not everyone thinks like this particular member of the community.

Perry Ferro, 48, has lived in the community his entire life and loves the fact the Canada Bay Council celebrates the now global holiday of Halloween.

One local lady has asked for the spider to be removed because she is scared. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

He even went as far to say the spider decoration complainers are just playing a part in the “woke generation.”

“(If you complain about the spider) I think maybe you got more problems than what that spider is,” Mr Ferro said.

Neighbour, Perry Ferro pictured in front of the house loves the decorations. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“This is arachnophobia, whatever it’s called, a fear of spiders. Okay, if that spider was real, I’d be scared of that spider. But that spider is plastic.”

Mr Ferro, who’s mother lives near the heavily decorated house, has urged community members to look at the house for what it is, a Halloween celebration.

He reminded his neighbours the owners of the house aren’t decorating for themselves.

“People have to go back to their youth where they never thought of anything, and they just enjoyed their life. There’s too much social media, there’s too much opinions,” he said.

Screenshot of a social media post where a resident in Hampden Road Five Dock has been asking people on social media to stop putting up spiders as Halloween decorations due to her arachnophobia.

“They spend so much time getting up there, risking injury and to do it for what? For themselves. They’re doing it for the community. So enjoy what people are doing for you.”

Canada Bay Mayor Michael Megna told The Saturday Telegraph that while he wants all residents to feel comfortable, his council can’t “police” how people choose to celebrate.

He highlighted that there was always two sides to these disputes.

DAILY TELEGRAPH - 25/10/24 Home in Hampden Rd, Russell Lea which has a giant spider on the roof as Halloween decorations. 1 local lady has asked for it to be removed because she is scared. An unidentified woman walks past this afternoon. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“We understand that people have arachnophobia, but there are a number of people with all different fears,” Mr Megna said.

“Some people are scared or upset by lights, are we going to ask them to not decorate for Christmas?

“We have to be mindful we don’t put a damper on Halloween or holidays as we will end up restricting people on everything.”

Cr Nick Yap, Cr Stephanie Di Pasqua and Cr Michael Megna pose at Five Dock for a story about new parking restrictions being rolled out in Five Dock town centre.

Glad his community is investing into Halloween and it’s celebrations, Mr Megna is hoping the current dispute is used as a lesson when decorating for next year.

“Now that people of the community know that others are uncomfortable by these decorations, maybe they will choose to keep the spiders in the basement,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Woke generation’ threatening Halloween celebration