A mural depicting the murder of Jesse and Luke Davies, who were both from Sydney, was removed from its location due to the controversy surrounding its depiction of the incident.
The couple was allegedly killed by Beau Lamarre-Condon, who was a police officer in NSW.
This week, residents of Sydney spotted an explicit mural that depicted the alleged murder of the couple by a person wearing a police uniform.
The image, which was shared on Reddit, showed Mr. Davies and Mr. Baird laying lifeless on the ground with blood running down their bodies.
The mural was covered in black paint on Saturday morning. On Wednesday, the police were called to Potts Point after a member of the public reported offensive graffiti on Earl Pl. The Sydney City Council then painted over the offending artwork.
The police are now investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the city confirmed that the mural had been taken down, and noted that it depicted a violent act. The incident sparked an outcry from the city’s LGBTQI community. It also sparked a debate about the police force’s actions.
The NSW Police were initially asked not to participate in the Mardi Gras parade due to the mural. However, the event’s organizers eventually agreed to allow them to do so without uniforms. Many people online called the mural “very confronting” and “in poor taste.” Others noted that the killings were not related to hate crime.
One user stated that the mural was in poor taste due to the tragic incident and the ongoing grief of the families of the victims. However, she added that the police officer’s role shouldn’t be dismissed just because he was gay. Another user stated that they were glad that the mural was taken down, and they had pushed back against the initial plans to ban the police from the event.
Many officers, including those who are gay, would find the depiction of the couple’s murder disgusting. The police noted that the couple’s deaths were likely caused by domestic violence.
Lamarre-Condon is currently in police custody, and no plea has yet been entered. He will next appear in court in April.