An amusement park in Japan was forced to close on Nov. 27 after receiving a barrage of criticism for freezing 5,000 fish into the ice of its skating rink. The stunt was intended to draw crowds.

Space World, located in the city of Kitakyushu, was only open for two weeks before its suspension, according to Kyodo News. The facility hoped to offer visitors the opportunity to glide on a "sea" filled with 25 kinds of fish. However, the feat was widely condemned by the public for its cruelty.

Some people pitied the embedded fish, arguing that, far from novelty, it was actually unpleasant to look at the rink. Meanwhile, misunderstandings spread online that the fish were frozen while they were still alive.

A spokesperson for the park apologized to everyone who was upset by the stunt. The skating rink will reopen in the next month, after the fish are removed, said the spokesperson.