'Breaking Bad' charity 'funeral' raises thousands of dollars, stirs controversy
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A "funeral" was held for "Breaking Bad" protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Albuquerque over the weekend, and raised thousands of dollars for a local organization that provides services to the homeless.
About 200 people attended the event on Saturday to pay their respects to Walter, according to the Albuquerque Journal, but other residents are outraged.
Breaking Bad: How did it all end?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A petition to remove the gravesite had more than 800 signatures as of Monday morning.
"Adding a physical gravesite will encourage tourists to visit a sacred burial site of hundreds and hundreds of loved ones," according to the petition, which notes that locations around Albuquerque where scenes from the show were filmed have become "tourist traps."
The funeral included a procession that featured some die-hard fans and the RV where Walter and Jesse (Aaron Paul) cooked meth in the show.
Officials at Sunset Memorial Park have said that they'll remove the memorial if it becomes "an attraction." "We are a cemetery first and foremost. Our allegiance lies with our families that have allowed us to bury their loved ones here," general manager Vaughn Hendren told the Journal.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}