'Beyond disgraceful': Controversial shop display sparks fierce debates about symbolism

Disclaimer: This article may contain sensitive imagery and symbols. Reader discretion is advised.

In the digital age, the line between freedom of expression and offensive content is often blurred.

A display piece sparked a heated debate among Australians, especially those who have lived through the atrocities of World War II.


A provocative display in a shop front on Gurwood Street in Wagga Wagga caught many people's attention.

The display featured doctored images of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and other public figures dressed in Nazi-style uniforms.

Some of the figures, also clad in iron-cross medals, included former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and mining magnates Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart.


compressed-Nazi imagery.jpeg
The shop front garnered attention and criticism among Australians online. Image Credit: Facebook/Dallas V Beaufort


This bold statement was intended as political commentary and garnered public outcry.

After a complaint lodged by Michael McCormack, the display immediately became the subject of a police investigation.

The display, described by many as distasteful and offensive, was scrutinised by the NSW Police.


Michael McCormack initially expressed his disgust about the display on social media.

'This is beyond disgraceful,' McCormack prefaced.

'The Nazis killed six million Jews in the Holocaust. This remains one of the worst mass murders in human history.'

'The Nazis were pure evil. To be depicted as one of them is as insulting as it is vile,' he
concluded.

After consulting for legal advice, the police concluded the investigation with a verdict.

'Officers spoke to a 69-year-old man at the business, and after seeking legal advice, it was determined the material does not break the 80.2E Prohibited symbols under the Australian Criminal Code,' NSW Police wrote in a statement.

The NSW Police's decision left many scratching their heads.


While many people question the decision, shop owner Michael Agzarian defended his work as an artist.

'I've got no comment to make; I just create the art, and obviously, some people get upset,' Agzarian commented.

'My intention is not to upset people, but just to get a message out there.'

Agzarian also mentioned that the shopfront displays are regularly changed every few days.

The poster was later altered to feature a pixelated version of the politician.

For those who may have lived through World War II, usage of Nazi imagery could be sensitive.

The legacy of the war and the Holocaust is not just a chapter in history books but a lived experience for many.

This incident raised questions about the boundaries of artistic expression and the responsibilities that come with it.
Key Takeaways

  • A controversial display in Wagga Wagga showed doctored images of prominent individuals in Nazi-style uniforms.
  • Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack publicly condemned the display as 'beyond disgraceful' and offensive due to the historical associations with Nazi atrocities.
  • NSW Police stated that a shopfront display depicting Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and other figures as Nazis does not violate the Australian Criminal Code.
  • The business owner claimed that he intended to convey a message through his art but later modified the display.
How do you feel about the use of such provocative imagery in public spaces? Is there a place for this kind of expression in modern Australia, or does it cross a line? We invite you to share your thoughts on this matter in the comments section below.
 

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This brought tears to my eyes. As a little girl in The 40,s we had a lovely man who owned the fruit and veg shop. He used to give me a piece of fruit and just held my little.hand. Mum told me much later he his wife and child went to the camps he came out they didn’t. I was the image of his daughter .
This so called artist is a disgrace
I think that the Artist is trying to convey that these 4 people are behaving like NAZI`S. And I would have to agree.
 
If images depicting historical events offend people, should we close down the Australian War Memorial in Canberra?
The difference is that the people depicted in the Australian War Memorial wearing those uniforms, were dyed in the wool, card carrying, fully paid up members of the Nazi Party. As far as I'm aware, the four depicted on the poster, are not, and if they were, they wouldn't be dressed in the uniforms for day to day wear.

Also, this poster wasn't 'depicting historical events'. It was using a very dark part of world history to make a political statement. People these days slap the 'art' title on all sorts of things. I mean someone stuck a banana on a gallery wall and it was displayed as 'art'! I forget where, but I've seen it a few times.
 
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I wonder, can't the people framed in this picture sue for using their image without permission. I would think that using their image would be a invasion of privacy depicting them in an abhorrent image.

No need for permission.

How many portraits entered in events such as the Archibald Prize had permission from the subject? How many notable people were asked permission by media outlets for use of their image or video? Not many, if any.

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Privacy Act 1988 govern what is legal and not legal with respect to this.
Read my reply.

Then you understand what is meant by a person's image in a legal context.
 
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I am shocked that anyone could display something like that. If he shop owner wants to believe that, so be it, but he does not need to put it up in front for us all to see. War is war, those who were fortunate to come home from the war did not talk about it & we should never ask them to talk about it, then someone shoves this in front of our faces, it is more than disgusting. It is disgraceful that he should use those living people to portrait them in this way.
 
Re 'Beyond disgraceful': Controversial shop display sparks fierce debates about symbolism

Poor fellow my Country! What has become of this great country of ours which seems to be slipping away fast with the warped and distasteful values of some of its citizens.

To portray four highly prominent Australians who have made a great contribution to the success of the nation, as Nazis is totally abhorrent in a civilised democracy.

We passed laws to stamp out Nazi symbols in this country – this pathetic excuse for art is just as distasteful and the laws should be strengthened to stop this from happening again so that the NSW Police cannot give this artist a free pass on such a poor judgement stunt again.

This is false and misleading information which should be stamped out. If this is not false information by law it should be.

The artist shop keeper should have shown more discretion and opted not to display the work because the imagery suggests that these four Australians are sympathetic to the Nazi cause. Six million Jews slaughtered for that cause in World War II should be a stark reminder that this sort of stuff has no place in Australian society just as the current wave of anti Semitism also has no place here.

The artist is obviously talented and obviously believes he is displaying his right to free expression. However, I believe he should consider his choice of subject matter and discern what is acceptable and what is not. Portraying Peter Dutton, Gina Rinehart, Michael McCormack and Clive Palmer as Nazis is certainly not acceptable.

All power to Danielle F for bringing this to our attention and to Michael McCormack for raising it with the Police.. It is a pity that the hands of the NSW Police are tied on this one.

Promotion of Nazism in the country in any shape or form should not be tolerated and certainly should not be on public display as a cheap shot in an important election campaign. Our democracy deserves better than this! Our country deserves better than this!

Geoff C.
 
Also, this poster wasn't 'depicting historical events'. It was using a very dark part of world history to make a political statement.
People refer to historical events every minute of the day in relation to current issues.

Michael Agzarian is making a political statement, equating those depicted as being a part of a dictatorial regime, that is, the Third Reich.

For example, the countless parodies of political figures made by cartoonists over the years in the printed media. Here is a prime example from David Pope in 2018, who worked for the Canberra Times.

caricature2018.jpg

Do you recognise any faces? Did they ever threaten legal action against David Pope? No!
 
Promotion of Nazism in the country in any shape or form should not be tolerated and certainly should not be on public display as a cheap shot in an important election campaign. Our democracy deserves better than this! Our country deserves better than this!

Geoff C.
Promotion of fundamentalist Islam extremism in the form of support for Hamas and Hezbollah should not be tolerated either. But it still is the case in the form of pro Palestinian protests in this country.

If you disagree with this statement, then you are a hypocrite.
 
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A war memorial for our fallen is not a poor taste political statement and to suggest otherwise is disgusting. So what does that make you ?
A person who believes in free speech and artistic expression.

Censorship is the seed that oppression grows from. Take North Korea for example.

Would you like to live in Pyongyang?
 
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Why is Albo not featured. That should be investigated, its discrimination or made the artist is pro-labour. Whilst the Holocaust was horrific in so many ways it's time to move on. Whilst we cannot forget the past Banning Nazi symbolism is not going to stop people wanting to adopt them.
No one should ever forget and move on . You should watch the movie ''Judgement At Nuremburg'' so see what these poor people went through. The movie is so bad l just couldn't watch it all . The papers were full of survivors and their stories of what happened to them . Did you have bombs flying over you head?.
l'm surprised these people haven't sued for using their images.
 
Good artwork but Australian politicians are more akin to Soviet leaders Stalin, Lenin, Trotsky and Beria.
They killed way more people than the Nazis ever did. At least 40 - 60 million. Stalin admitted to Churchill that he had killed 10 million Kulaks and then there was the HOLMODOR starvation in the Ukraine which took another 6-10 million people (an estimated number since there’s no records of how many starved to death)
Bit of course no one wants to think about the suffering and death they caused…..
 

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