B.C. has cancelled a mass yoga event on Vancouver’s Burrard Street Bridge following harsh backlash from First Nations groups and other critics.

The decision to ax the June 21 Om the Bridge event came shortly after Premier Christy Clark announced on Twitter that she wouldn’t be attending.

“Yoga Day is a great opportunity to celebrate peace and harmony – it's not about politics,” she said.

In a subsequent statement to media, the premier thanked the event’s sponsors – which included retailer Lululemon, a major contributor to the BC Liberal party – for organizing what she described as a well-intentioned, inclusive event.

Clark lamented that the focus of Om the Bridge had drifted toward politics, “getting in the way of the spirit of community and inner reflection.”

First Nations groups said the planned event was disrespectful because it would have coincided with National Aboriginal Day, while watchdog group Integrity BC voiced concerns the BC Liberals were essentially giving Lululemon free publicity.

Clark pointed out that it was the United Nations that designated June 21 the International Day of Yoga, and said she’s pleased that both it and National Aboriginal Day will be celebrated at separate events across the province.

“B.C.’s greatest strength is our diversity. I hope June 21st will be about celebrating the best part of us all,” she said.

Lululemon and YYoga, a local chain of yoga studios, had already announced they were backing out as sponsors before the province made the official cancellation.

YYoga founder Terry McBride said the intentions of the public celebration were “very positive, but it has become anything but that.” He said YYoga would work to have a similar event in a park.

“The importance of celebrating the tradition of yoga still rings true for us. We are working with our partners from the community to deliver something that serves them in a more meaningful way,” McBride said in a blog post on his company’s website.

That sentiment was echoed by Lululemon, with spokesperson Jill Battie saying the company is “taking a deep cleansing breath” over the next few days to regroup.

“We’ll be reimagining a celebration that honours the spirit and tradition of yoga and serves our communities in a more meaningful way,” she said.

The premier’s decision to pull the plug on the event was something of a surprise given her initial response to the growing controversy around it.

On Thursday, Clark tweeted a photo of herself in front of a Taoist Tai Chi centre, goading “Yoga haters” by saying, “bet you can’t wait for international Tai Chi day.”