Not cool, man.
Melbourne’s streets have been defaced with posters of alleged Bondi Beach gunman Naveed Akram.
The approximately 40 flyers crudely mimic the iconic ‘AUSSIE’ street art series by celebrated artist Peter Drew, which for a decade has used historic migrant portraits to champion multicultural inclusion.
View this post on Instagram
Authorities are swiftly removing the deeply offensive images, with Victoria Police investigating potential breaches of new anti-hate laws.
Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece condemned the “absolutely abhorrent” act, while Jewish and Muslim community leaders united in distress and condemnation.
Drew, whose work intentionally welcomes newcomers, dismissed the perpetrators as “trolls,” urging a refusal to engage with their corrosive anger.
The incident represents a sinister distortion of art meant to unify, weaponising it to sow division and inflict pain upon communities still healing from tragedy.
