Victorians flock to festive windows
The shopfront launch in Bourke Street, which attracts huge crowds, has only been cancelled one other time in recent years, during the pandemic.
A senior official at Myer has reported an upsurge in visitors to the retail giant’s iconic festive shop windows in the Melbourne CBD after anti-Israel activists tried to link the beloved annual tradition to Israel’s defensive actions in Gaza.
In a social media post, Disrupt Wars, a pro-Palestine organisation, had urged supporters to “bring flags, placards, banners, props, noisemakers”, declaring, “Christmas is cancelled, and there will be no joy or frivolity while children in Gaza are massacred.”
The Christmas windows – this year featuring Wildlife Warriors, a tribute to the Steve Irwin family and Australia Zoo — have gone on display, but the threat led Myer to cancel last Sunday’s annual ‘reveal’ event.
The shopfront launch in Bourke Street, which attracts huge crowds, has only been cancelled one other time in recent years, during the pandemic.
Instead of a festive unveiling at 10.30am, covers were quietly removed around 7.30am, with far smaller numbers watching. After Myer scrapped the traditional launch, Disrupt Wars stated it had called off its plans, although activists still staged random disturbances at the storefront.
When The AJN contacted Myer, its chief customer officer Geoff Ikin said the launch had been cancelled for the sake of “the wellbeing and safety of customers, team members and the broader community”.
“The Christmas windows are a proud symbol of joy and community, loved by everybody who visit them each year,” said Ikin, “and we remain committed to providing a safe, positive and welcoming experience for all who visit.”
Victorians rallied and swelled Bourke Street in higher numbers than last year. Ikin reported “one of the best opening days in the event’s 69-year history … with numbers up almost 20 per cent on last year”.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said, “Many will be bitterly disappointed that Myer’s Christmas windows’ grand unveiling was cancelled because of risks to public safety from anti-Israel extremists.
“I hope everyone who walks past those windows feels some joy and goodwill to others. We need it this year more than most.”
Condemning the shutdown of the Christmas window launch, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan told ABC radio, “We can’t let these sorts of ugly protests ruin these beautiful Christmas traditions. We would all love the conflict in the Middle East to be over … we can’t let that division, that conflict overseas cause greater division here in our beautiful city. It’s just not on.”
But Liberal MP Georgie Crozier reinforced the opposition’s call for the reintroduction of ‘move-on’ laws to compel disruptive activists to clear off. The former state government had such laws in place, but they were ended by the Andrews government. Crozier described the Allan government’s management of chaotic activism in Melbourne’s streets this year as “impotent”.
Victoria Police said it had made multiple requests to activists not to disrupt the event.
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