Sad sight at iconic Christmas display in Melbourne after pro-Palestine supporters gatecrash 70-year-old tradition
A Christmas tradition for families threatened by protesters has made a largely scaled back unveiling.
A Christmas tradition for families threatened by protesters has made a largely scaled back unveiling.
Myer in the centre of Melbourne displays decorative Christmas windows each year for the past 70 years.
Pro-Palestinian supporters had threatened to crash the grand opening which was scheduled for Sunday.
However, Myer said it would cancel the grand opening which is typically attended by families. The protesters also scrapped their disruptive plans in kind.
In a largely scaled-back rendition, Santa and a few staff members pulled down the curtain on the Australia Zoo themed windows at 7.30am on Sunday.
Just a handful of protesters were at the early morning unveiling, though more started gathering before the retail giants store opened at 10am.
They were chanting bombs are dropping, while youre shopping.
At least 43,000 Gazans have been killed in direct conflict since October 7, 2023 - about 70 per cent of those are children or women.
A pro-Palestine protester disrupts the Myer Christmas window unveiling on Sunday
Some families did still stop to see the latest edition of the windows on Sunday morning
Oxfam says Palestinians are being starved as a military tactic, and aid agencies estimate 96 per cent of Gazans face high levels of food shortages.
In Melbourne, a vocal protester shouting free Palestine made her presence known during a live television cross to a reporter.
The demonstrator was dressed as a police officer, wearing clown make up, and holding a sign which read you look stupid staring at windows when kids are being murdered.
The protest group, which initially threatened a large demonstration outside the windows is separate from the organising group which has run protests through the city every Sunday since October 7, 2023.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network organises the weekly march through the city, and is diverting its demonstration on Sunday away from Myer.
Australia changed its position at the UN for the first time in 20 years this week, voting with 158 other countries including the UK, New Zealand, France, Germany and Japan, for a resolution to recognise the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.
The US, Canada and Israel were among seven nations which voted against the resolution.
In light of the protest action figuratively clashing with a family Christmas tradition, Premier Jacinta Allan faced questions this week about whether Victoria needed a NSW-style protest permit system.
Myer scrapped plans for a grand opening of the windows, which are zoo themed this year
Do we really think the same sort of morons who want to disrupt a beautiful Christmas tradition for families is going to apply for a permit? she said on Friday.
(The windows) will be open for the thousands and thousands of Victorians from all different backgrounds, from all different parts of the state, to come and enjoy that beautiful family tradition, the Premier said.
Information from Myer shows the first window display, Santa and the Olympics, was erected in 1956.
The most recent display themes have been: Bluey (2023), Disney 100 year anniversary (2022), Peter Rabbit (2021) and Christmas is Uncancelled (2020).
