Indy Media Watch

Melbourne, Australia is hosting the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

To celebrate, idiots 'activists' are promoting the Graffiti Games 2006 on Sydney and Melbourne Indymedia. They plan to 'beautify' the city with their spraycans.

Michael Stewart, spokesperson for the Graffiti Games Organising Committee (GGOC) has stated “In the time honoured tradition of other cities which have hosted the Commonwealth Games the council is now attempting to sterilise Melbourne by making it “the world’s most unliveable city” for anyone failing to shape up to their expectations of happy, shiny shoppers. With street artists and the homeless currently being purged how long can it be until people with less than $100 in their pockets, non-designer tracksuits or crooked teeth also find themselves “United By The Moment” in being frogmarched to the city limits for fear of cluttering up the view for wealthy tourists?”

In response to this, and the Victorian Government’s decision to waste $1 million dollars of tax-payers’ money in setting up an anti-graffiti taskforce, GGOC have announced the commencement of the 2006 Graffiti Games. During the Graffiti Games, which begin next week and end in April 2006, the entire Central Business District has been declared a “maximum tolerance zone” open to street art of all forms. Unlike the elitist Commonwealth Games the Graffiti Games will be open to anyone with a spray-can and a good or bad idea. The entire population of Victoria, as well as interstate and international visitors, are encouraged to compete. Although all who take part, and the public at large, will be winners in this tournament the Graffiti Games Organising Committee will also be awarding Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to the most popular entrants in various categories.

These will include -
(a) Most Elaborate Stencil Piece
(b) Funniest Slogan
(c) Largest Graffiti Piece
(d) Most Daring Placement
(e) Best Caricature of the Mayor or other City Of Melbourne Councillor
(f) Most Seditious Piece

I would laugh if this were satire, but satire seldom has its own website.

Sadly, Sydney Indymedia continues to host other material not worth laughing about at all. Witness Faruque Ahmed's latest contribution. Considering what is showing, I shudder to think what comments were hidden...