Protesters have gatecrashed the iconic Christmas window unveiling at Myer as families tried to celebrate the 70-year-old festive tradition.
The pro-Palestine supporters gathered at the front of the Myer Christmas windows on Bourke Street, in Melbourne’s CBD, just after 10am on Sunday.
The group had threatened to destroy the unveiling to raise awareness of the ongoing war in Gaza.
Myer called off its traditional grand opening and opted for a largely scaled-back rendition, with Santa and a few Myer staff members pulling down the curtain on the Australia Zoo themed windows at 7.30am.
Protesters had called off their disruptive plans, however a small handful were at the early morning unveiling as part of a ‘Morons 4 Palestine’ protest.
They were heard chanting slogans including ‘bombs are dropping, while you’re shopping’ as they blew bubbles through the street.
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.
One vocal protester made her presence known by shouting ‘free Palestine’ during a live television cross to a reporter.
Pro-Palestinian protesters crashed the Christmas window display unveiling at Myer in Melbourne’s CBD
One protester had clown makeup on and was dressed in a fake police uniform holding the sign ‘you look stupid staring at windows when kids are being murdered’
The demonstrator, who dressed as a police officer and donned in clown facepaint, held a sign which read ‘you look stupid staring at windows when kids are being murdered’.
She hurled abuse at the reporter and shouted ‘She spent more time doing her makeup than caring about Palestine’ during the live television cross.
‘And she still looks ugly,’ the protester yelled.
The small group of protestors repeatedly chanted: ‘Myer, Myer you can’t hide. They’re killing kids in Palestine.’
The name of the protest, ‘Morons 4 Palestine’, seemed to mock Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan who had called the protesters morons earlier this week.
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.
‘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.
However, the small-scale protest did not deter Aussie families from visiting the flagship store for its Christmas unveiling.
Mother-of-two Terese travelled to Melbourne’s CBD from Griffith with her daughters Ava, seven, and Peta, three.
Terese said while the protesters were disappointing she was happy her daughters were able to see the display.
‘It’s a bit disappointing but it’s good that we were still safely able to see the windows. It was amazing,’ Terese told The Herald Sun.
Some families did still stop to see the latest edition of the windows on Sunday morning
Kate Lester said she deliberately timed her visit to the window display to avoid the protesters.
Ms Lester, along with her 17-year-old daughter Amelia and 12-year-old son Tommy said the protesters did not ruin the Christmas spirit.
‘It’s a tradition of ours (to attend) so I think it’s a shame that it was disrupted,’ Ms Lester said.
As a pro-Palestine supporter herself, Ms Lester said the protesters hurt the broader cause.
Her daughter Amelia added: ‘I mean they’re trying to do something good but they practically throwing more fire on fire.’
‘There has to be better ways to raise awareness. Why not make Palestinian foods and highlight the cause peacefully?’
Another shopper said she was ‘disgusted’ by the protests and labelled them as ‘unAustralian’, claiming it was time for the community to ‘fight back’.
The protesters left the area shortly before 11am and threatened to return to the store front windows later in the day.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, who organise weekly marches through the city, diverted its demonstration away from Myer.
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.
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.
Myer scrapped plans for a grand opening of the windows, which are zoo themed this year
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.
Myer in the centre of Melbourne has displayed decorative Christmas windows each year for the past 70 years.
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).
