The group behind last weekend’s virtual anti-lockdown protest in Victoria has issued an apology to Premier Daniel Andrews after one protester trespassed on the farm of the Premier’s late father. But, not to let a bit of media attention go to waste, Victoria Forward ended their statement hyping up their own lost cause.
The aim was for people to hang a pair of boots on their mailboxes to ‘Give Dan The Boot’, but one protester went way too far by doing so well inside the property of Andrews’ late father. On Tuesday, Andrews brought the issue to light and said “shame on him” in a press conference.
Victoria Forward, which organised the protest, has since responded.
“Victoria Forward was made aware of the connotation of this image […] and had absolutely no role in producing it,” the group said in a statement on Facebook.
“However, we would like to offer Premier Andrews a sincere and unreserved apology for the image – which was out of line, inappropriate, and unacceptable.”
So far, so good.
After then praising their own values, the group added: “We do not endorse the use of personal tragedy for political point scoring.”
Victoria Forward then went on about how most protesters were decent and that “one insensitive action should not detract from these messages other Victorians sent.” Maybe give it a rest for a hot sec, guys.
By the end of their statement, they were 100% back on their shit.
“The Premier may be attempting to use this one, admittedly regrettable image, to distract from the fact that Victorians have rejected his leadership and demonstrated in their tens of thousands; but Victoria Forward will remain committed to engaging the community in positive and legal political discussion and expression,” their statement said.
For reference, the last time Andrews was at that shed, he reminded people yesterday, was “was when I carried my father’s coffin out of it.”
Ugh. Pick literally any other event to milk for your own cause, but please not this one.
The remainder of their statement isn’t even worth repeating in an article about a supposed apology because it’s just self-promotion at this point.
Says a lot about how sorry they really are.
