Artist’s Project Hijacked by Far-Right Influencer for Disturbing Motives

Artist Slams Far-Right Influencer for Copying Iconic ‘Aussie’ Posters

An acclaimed Australian artist has voiced his strong disapproval of a far-right influencer who has admitted to replicating his iconic poster design, featuring the alleged Bondi Beach shooter Naveed Akram with the word ‘Aussie’. The incident has sparked outrage and drawn condemnation from various quarters, highlighting concerns about the spread of extremism and the appropriation of art for divisive purposes.

Naveed Akram is currently facing a grave list of charges, including 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder. These charges stem from an alleged shooting incident on December 14, where Akram and his father are accused of opening fire on a crowd gathered to celebrate Hanukkah by the Sea.

In the wake of the tragedy, approximately 40 posters bearing Akram’s image and the prominent, capitalised word ‘Aussie’ began appearing around Melbourne. These posters bore a striking resemblance to the distinctive style of artist Peter Drew, utilising the same font and colour palette as his well-known works.

Peter Drew, a 42-year-old artist, is renowned for his 2016 poster series that celebrated the diversity of Australian identity. His work aimed to counter rising anti-immigration sentiment by highlighting figures from various ethnic backgrounds who have contributed to Australia. Past subjects of his series have included Monga Khan, an Afghan cameleer, a young Jewish boy, and the great-grandfather of NSW Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh.

Far-Right Influencer Takes Responsibility

The individual behind the controversial imitation posters has been identified as far-right influencer Hugo Lennon, also known online as ‘Auspill’. Lennon is the grandson of Tony Lennon, a prominent Australian property developer with significant wealth.

Mr. Drew expressed his relief that the creators of the copied posters were not individuals with serious intent. He remarked, “When I issued a challenge to anyone stupid enough to put their name to the posters I didn’t think that trick would actually work. I feel relieved to know the posters weren’t made by anyone serious.”

He further commented on the apparent motivations behind the act, stating, “Those boys lack spirit. That’s their real problem. AUSSIE is bigger than any ideology. My honest opinion; it’s just sad. These boys have their whole lives ahead of them but they’re throwing it all away for online clout. I wish they had an older brother to shake some sense into them and say ‘Maybe don’t make posters glorifying terrorists’.”

The Motivations Behind the Copycat Posters

Lennon, in a lengthy 22-minute video, claimed that Drew’s original posters, which showcased notable Australians from diverse backgrounds, conveyed the message that anyone with basic physical attributes could be considered a citizen. Lennon sought to argue that Australianness could be attained by anyone possessing the correct documentation or adhering to shared national values, irrespective of their background or history.

His project, as described in the video’s caption, aimed to “expose a contradiction in contemporary discourse around national identity,” specifically challenging the notion that “Australianness is purely civic, infinitely fluid, and detached from history, continuity, or peoplehood.” Lennon asserted that by placing his doctrine under pressure and pushing it to its logical extremes, he intended to observe how audiences would instinctively draw lines, often refusing to articulate them.

The video depicted Lennon and another far-right influencer, ‘SirDoug’, actively pasting up the Akram posters across Melbourne. The pair also displayed posters featuring US President Donald Trump. In some clips, individuals whose faces were blurred were seen posing with Lennon as he held one of the Akram posters. A passerby was also audibly heard greeting ‘Auspill’ in a jovial manner.

Outrage and Official Investigations

Dr. Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, condemned Lennon’s actions as an insult to the grieving families affected by the Bondi Beach attack. He stated, “What Hugo Lennon did is violence without a weapon. Taking the face of a mass murderer and pasting it onto Melbourne’s walls drags blood back onto the pavement. It reopens graves. It tells grieving families that their loss is a joke, a meme, a stunt for online applause. This is how extremism works in daylight. First you sanitise the killer. Then you stylise the killer.”

Victoria Police confirmed that they have launched an investigation into the appearance of “several posters of concern” in various Melbourne suburbs, including Richmond and the CBD, during January. Law enforcement officials have been reviewing CCTV footage and are continuing their inquiries into offenses related to billposting, as well as other more serious potential charges. The police have also been in communication with the Melbourne City Council regarding these incidents.

Hugo Lennon’s grandfather, Tony Lennon, is a significant figure in Australian real estate, having served as the millionaire ex-chairman of Peet Limited, one of the country’s largest development firms. Although he retired last year, he retains a substantial shareholding and has previously been recognised on Western Australia’s top-50 rich list with an estimated net worth approaching half a billion dollars.