Lifestyle Beauty & Style Celebrity Fashion Avril Lavigne Sounds Off on Topless Protester Who Stormed the Juno Awards Stage: 'Get the F--- Off' The topless woman was protesting a recently proposed development project on formerly protected land in Ontario, Canada By Jack Irvin Jack Irvin Jack Irvin has over five years of experience working in digital journalism, and he’s worked at PEOPLE since 2022. Jack started in the industry with internships at Rolling Stone and Entertainment Tonight, and he worked as a freelance writer for publications including Bustle, MTV News, Shondaland, L’Officiel USA, Ladygunn, Flood and PopCrush before joining PEOPLE. In his current role, Jack covers daily music news and has interviewed both up-and-coming and established artists including Dolly Parton, Michelle Branch, Ashanti, Cyndi Lauper, Normani, Carly Rae Jepsen and Coco Jones. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 14, 2023 11:50AM EDT Avril Lavigne doesn't want anyone stealing her stage time. While the pop-punk star was presenting Indo-Canadian musician AP Dhillon's performance at the 2023 Juno Awards on Monday, a topless woman invaded the stage to protest a proposed development project in Ontario, Canada — and Lavigne wasn't having it. The "Complicated" singer attempted to continue delivering her lines as the protester — wearing pink pants, nipple pasties and messages including "Save the Greenbelt" and "Land Back" written on her body in black ink — walked around the stage. "Get the f--- off," Lavigne, 38, eventually told the woman as security worked to remove her from the stage. "Get the f--- off, bitch." Avril Lavigne and Tyga Sit Front Row at Paris Fashion Week in Matching Black Leather Outfits According to CTV News Toronto, the woman was protesting the Ontario government's recent move to start construction to build around 50,000 new homes on 7,400 acres of formerly protected Greenbelt land by 2025. Avril Lavigne. Dale MacMillan/Getty Later in the ceremony, hosted by Simu Liu and held at Rogers Place, Lavigne returned to the stage to accept the TikTok Juno fan choice award and addressed the incident. "Now, nobody try anything this time or the Canadian will come out of me, and I'll f--- a bitch up," said the Grammy-nominated artist. Liu, 33, who performed a medley of Lavigne's hits earlier in the evening, later came to the stage and complimented the "Bite Me" performer for "handling that topless lady like a champion." Avril Lavigne Lets Her Clothes Do the Talking at Fashion Week Post-Mod Sun Split: 'Trust Your Instincts' Following the ceremony, Lavigne poked fun at the stage invasion while expressing appreciation for her fans on Twitter. "Thanks to my amazing fans for voting for the TikTok Juno Fan Choice Award. This is my 10th Juno Award and 4th Fan Choice Award," wrote the artist. "Let's keep rocking and cheers to the next 20 years! P.S. - 'Get the f--- off bitch!'" Last week, she and Tyga went public with their relationship during Paris Fashion Week. The pair attended shows together and shared a kiss outside the Mugler X Hunter Schafer party — less than a month after an insider told PEOPLE that Lavigne and her fiancé Mod Sun had called off their engagement. "Avril and Mod Sun have been on and off for the past two months, but are no longer together as a couple," the insider said at the time.