PROVOST
02-04-2012, 08:20 PM
Police say noose sticker parody of 'My Family' stickers offensive but legal | The Courier-Mail (http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/police-say-noose-sticker-parody-of-my-family-stickers-offensive-but-legal/comments-e6freoof-1226262250292)
A CAR decal meant to parody the popular "My Family" stickers has been condemned by police as offensive and distressing - but not illegal.
Sold online for $9 each by StreetFX, the sticker depicts two adults and two children hanged from nooses in what the Brisbane-based manufacturers admit is a "tasteless joke".
In an explanation on their website titled "a note to hate mailers", StreetFX states "a sticker saying that we are sick of some other type of sticker is a pretty funny concept in the scheme of things".
"At no point does StreetFX actually hate your family, nor suggest other people hate anyone's family - and the typical buyer of these stickers doesn't hate anyone's family either," the statement reads. "They hate the family stickers!"
Although police said the stickers did not appear to breach any laws, Inspector Ray Rohweder from the State Traffic Support Branch said they "would be offensive to a lot of people".
"People should really be cogniscent of the fact what they think is funny may be quite hurtful or in fact distressing to other motorists," said Insp Rohweder. But police would only ask motorists to remove stickers that blocked road views.
"If one person found the matter offensive, that in itself would not necessarily be cause for a police officer to remove a sticker," he said.
StreetFX did not respond to calls or emails from The Courier-Mail.
A CAR decal meant to parody the popular "My Family" stickers has been condemned by police as offensive and distressing - but not illegal.
Sold online for $9 each by StreetFX, the sticker depicts two adults and two children hanged from nooses in what the Brisbane-based manufacturers admit is a "tasteless joke".
In an explanation on their website titled "a note to hate mailers", StreetFX states "a sticker saying that we are sick of some other type of sticker is a pretty funny concept in the scheme of things".
"At no point does StreetFX actually hate your family, nor suggest other people hate anyone's family - and the typical buyer of these stickers doesn't hate anyone's family either," the statement reads. "They hate the family stickers!"
Although police said the stickers did not appear to breach any laws, Inspector Ray Rohweder from the State Traffic Support Branch said they "would be offensive to a lot of people".
"People should really be cogniscent of the fact what they think is funny may be quite hurtful or in fact distressing to other motorists," said Insp Rohweder. But police would only ask motorists to remove stickers that blocked road views.
"If one person found the matter offensive, that in itself would not necessarily be cause for a police officer to remove a sticker," he said.
StreetFX did not respond to calls or emails from The Courier-Mail.