Daniel Andrews jumped in to defend a Melbourne cafe owner who put up a banner that charges the prime minister’s supporters an extra dollar for their coffee.
“People can put whatever signs they want, but the signals don’t work against this virus – and in defense of this coffee shop operator, it has also been indicated that online abuse does not work against this virus either,” the Prime Minister said on Thursday.
Franz Madliner, one of the owners of the Acrobar, said he would take the “tongue in cheek” sign after it sparked a wave of abuse and threats.
Tell Today The police passed by the shop on Wednesday night and “strongly suggested” that he take the sign away because it was getting angry.
Madliner also said he was forced to employ security guards overnight after people threatened to throw stones at the shop because of the sign.
“Offend this man It’s not protecting anyone either, and I think it had some bad things that guided its way, and I don’t think it’s true and I ask people not to do it, ”Andrews also said.
The sign in Morabean Cafe, in southwestern Melbourne, asks people to add $ 1 to their coffee order if they support Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews.
Mr Madliner said he had been at the table for three weeks, but the reaction started when the mark came to light when it went viral on social media on Wednesday.
He told hosts Karl Stefanovic and Alison Langdon, “At first it was fine, we had about 30 people see their humor and put one dollar in the tip bowl.”
“But in the past 24 hours, I believe that since this sign has become so widespread, the level of abuse, despicable anger, and personal assaults on the company, me and the staff yesterday, was just above the top.”
Madliner said they had been threatened with throwing stones through the window and someone also called in and threatened to do their business with what happened to the prime minister’s office, in which a rock was thrown at the window and paint was sprayed on the storefront last week.
He said he would remove the sign after the police said it was in their best interest to remove it.
“If the police ask you to hold up the sign, of course,” said Mr. Madliner.
“My main concern is on our employees, keeping employees safe. We don’t want people to come and use that to stir up more anger against the employees.
“Up until now we have been fighting the shutdown, and now we are fighting these absolute extremists full of absolute hatred towards the company.”
Madliner said the sign was not supposed to be political, rather it was supposed to be a “light” protest to counter comments about how they should feel grateful and fortunate about reopening the government’s goals.
