Man Wearing T-Shirt With Anti-Gay Slur Poses With NSW Police Officer At Sydney Easter Show
NSW Police have landed in hot water after a photo of a man wearing a t-shirt shirt emblazoned with an anti-gay slur and posing next to a police officer at the Sydney Royal Easter Show was posted online.
Trigger Warning: This story has details and visuals of anti-gay slurs, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
The photo which was initially uploaded as a Snapchat story on April 9, 2023, showed the officer smiling next to the person with a shirt saying, “Political correctness is for faggots.” The photo is captioned referring to the Police officer next to them saying, “He loved my shirt.”
The photo was posted on Snapchat by a man who goes by the online handle xnickdx.
Additional photos were posted on the man’s profile. One photo taken before the event included the wearer with the caption, “Let’s trigger some feminists at the Easter show.”
Another photo appears to mock the NSW Fire Service Trucks with progress pride flag colours on it, with the person smiling next to the truck with the caption, “Name a better combination.”
Social media users shared the photos on Twitter with many taking aim at both the wearer of the T-shirt and the NSW Police officer.
A Twitter user criticised the wearer saying, “How little of a life do you have to have to go out of your way to ‘trigger’ feminists? I doubt any of them would even be triggered, they’re probably laughing at him.”
How little of a life do you have to have to go out of your way to ‘trigger’ feminists? I doubt any of them would even be triggered, they’re probably laughing at him.
— Raphael Goldis (@GoldisRaphael) April 10, 2023
@nswpolice NSW police wonder why some don’t want cops in Pride marches
— MrMouse (@MrMouse29547759) April 10, 2023
Many other users have been tagging and questioning NSW Police, over the involvement of one of their officers in the photo. One Twitter user replied to a post regarding the incident saying, “NSW police wonder why some don’t want cops in Pride marches.”
NSW Police Reject Photo’s Rhetoric
In a statement provided to Star Observer, NSW Police said they had been made aware of the photo taken at the Easter Show. “This photograph is not reflective of the NSW Police Force ethos,” a police spokesperson told Star Observer.
Noting the large engagement with officers from the community at the Easter show, the spokesperson said NSW Police rejected any endorsement of the shirt’s rhetoric.
The officer in the photo says they were unaware of the person’s shirt and is “distressed” by the suggestion made upon the officer.
“The NSW Police Force remains firmly committed to working with LGBTIQ+ communities to ensure a safe and inclusive community for all,” an NSW Police spokesperson said.
I suspect that Slogan Boy, given he’s wearing a girly cross necklace, is associated with the group of Maronite Christian men who infiltrated King St. Newtown during World Pride and provided Mark Latham’s security (just kidding!) at his NSW election stunt at a church hall in Earlwood.
So everyone reads every slogan on a t-shirt, puhlease…
How do we know he didnt just sidle up to the cop for a pic and the cop didnt have time to read his T-shirt? Anyway, not all cops are the same, just as not all gays are the same!
NSW police especially the KX and Surry Hills stations are the most homophobic bunch I have ever met. When will they own their shitty “ethos” and attitude.. simply go to Marrickville police station and learn how not to drunk on power, homophobic and racist. Learn from the officers at Marrickville how to be community focused!
I am not ever going to apologise for the abuses meted out by police on members of our community. However we might also question where a police officer refuses to have their photo taken in a public place. The strongest questions here would best be directed to the male wearing the homophobic tee shirt xnickdx and the accomplice that took the photo. It was the homophobe that claimed without evidence that the officer in the shot had any opinion about his slur.
Don’t generalise. Not all Christians are homophobic misogynistic racists.
Just another ‘ Incel ‘ on his day off, hanging with a strapping lad in uniform.
Nothing sus there.
To be fair, the cross could mean one or more of a whole bunch of terrible things. We can be sure of homophobe from the evidence, but statistically it’s also quite possible he believes the age of consent to be way to high in NSW. The Vatican has the lowest age of consent in the world, at 12. Amazing stuff, isn’t it? Coincidentally, 12 is my guess for the IQ of both guys in the picture.
Of course he is – it’s the one trait that is a non-negotiable, mandatory ‘skill’ that all recruits must possess. I’ve decided to name them Dunning and Kruger – seen here win the offending picture with the smiles of men who are secure in the knowledge that they are right, both intellectually and morally, despite being so stupid as to only have the cerebral computation power of a musical greeting card, or a doorbell, between them.
Sorry this Policeman is so similar to the attitude I have had from some members of the Force after been assaulted in a gay bashing
I am not ever going to be an apologist for the abuse of responsibilities by the NSW Police. However I suggest we would question circumstances where a police officer refused to be photographed in a public place. The real focus should be on the christian homophobe wearing the slur and his accomplice who took the photo. Warning when one searches for the ‘person’s’ online persona one is quickly taken to a malware site – so dont do it unless you have greater tech security than me! It certainly is a misstep for the cops but isnt the real offence the scrotum wearing the dang shirt?
The policeman claims he was unaware of what was on the t-shirt. With respect, and unless we have evidence to the contrary, there is little point in arguing otherwise. That aside, we cannot judge the police force on the basis of the actions of one policeman even if we were to assume that the policeman knew what was inscribed on the t-shirt and supported it We have to be careful of hasty generalisations. For the record, I support the continued involvement of the police and members of all political parties in the Mardi Gras parade. Our movement is and has been inclusive. Those who want to exclude others should find other things to amuse themselves.
Why has no one commented on the cross around his neck? Another Christian showing his true colours.
The cop is a liar.