<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/19/police-seize-art-posters-depicting-trump-putin-and-netanyahu-in-nazi-uniforms-from-canberra-bar-ntwnfb>
"Police have seized art posters from a Canberra music venue and bar that depict
world leaders and others, including Donald Trump and Elon Musk, wearing Nazi
uniforms, and are investigating whether new federal hate symbol laws were
broken.
David Howe, the owner of Dissent Cafe and Bar in Canberra’s CBD, said his venue
was shut down for about two hours on Wednesday night as police investigated a
complaint about hate imagery relating to five posters in the window.
“I think it’s ludicrous to be perfectly honest,” he told
Guardian Australia,
describing the works as an “anti-fascist statement” and noting the shut down
had caused the cancellation of an interstate band’s performance.
By Thursday afternoon, less than 24 hours later, the posters were placed back
in the windows, with the contents covered with the word “CENSORED” in red. Howe
said he hoped patrons appreciated their return, describing them “absolutely” as
protest art.
The posters, by protest artist group Grow Up Art, depicted various world
leaders including the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu; the Russian
president, Vladimir Putin; and the US president, Donald Trump, in Nazi
uniforms.
In a statement, ACT policing confirmed it had declared the cafe a crime scene.
The five posters were seized and would be investigated to determine whether
charges would be laid under hate symbols laws, it said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
