Facebook Removes Racist Aboriginal Memes Page

Facebook Removes 'Racist' Aboriginal Memes Page
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A Facebook page dedicated to mocking and abusing Aborigines has been removed after a wave of disgust and a flurry of campaigns to ban it.

The page, which referred to Aborigines as "drunks who sniff petrol", and welfare cheats, was set up on June 4, but it has only now been removed. Initially, Facebook said it had no plans to act, but the company appears to have backtracked following the storm of protest.

One of the photo captions featured on the page read: "How do you kill 1000 flies at once? Slap me in the face," The Australian reported.

Scroll down for a gallery of notable Aboriginal art

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The offending page mocked Aborigines as hopeless drunks and welfare cheats

The social media giant, which is also in discussion with the Australian Race Discriminator Commissioner, said: "We recognise the public concern that controversial meme Pages that Australians have created on Facebook have caused.

"We believe that sharing information, and the openness that results, invites conversation, debate and greater understanding.

"At the same time, we recognise that some content that is shared may be controversial, offensive, or even illegal in some countries.''

Public figures - including the Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, called for the closure of the page and a number of online campaigns were started in support of the calls.

On Wednesday Mr Conroy's office called on Facebook's Sydney headquarters to take the page down,

But he said the page had recently been reclassified "controversial humor" and that Facebook maintained it did not adjudicate on humor." >but the page had been reclassified as "controversial humour" and the social networking group did not pass judgement on humour, AP revealed.

Facebook: Immediately remove the racist page called "Aboriginal Memes" gathered more than 18,000 signatures and a page called Shut Down Aboriginal Memes had amassed more than 5,000 "likes".

The page administrator wrote: "Is this the impression that we want others to have of our country? This is a national embarrassment."

But it warned of copycat sites, some of which have already been reported: "The original purpose for this site, to shut down Aboriginal Memes has been achieved, for now. However new sites are springing up and will continue to do so whilst the issues surrounding inequality towards indigenous Australians exist."

Aboriginal Art
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People talk about the painting 'Minna Minna' by Lady Gordon Napanangka of Australia in the exhibition 'PRO COMMUNITY Warlayirti Artists - Aboriginal Art of Balgo Hills' during the press preview in Leipzig, central Germany, Thursday, July 12, 2012. Warlayirti Artists of Balgo Hills, the third major art centre together with Papunya Tula and Warlukurlangu Artists, have been wowing the Australian art world since the late 80s. The exhibition starts on July 13, 2012 and last until Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (credit:PA)
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People walk in the exhibition 'PRO COMMUNITY Warlayirti Artists - Aboriginal Art of Balgo Hills' during the press preview in Leipzig, central Germany, Thursday, July 12, 2012. Warlayirti Artists of Balgo Hills, the third major art centre together with Papunya Tula and Warlukurlangu Artists, have been wowing the Australian art world since the late 80s. The exhibition starts on July 13, 2012 and last until Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (credit:PA)
(03 of15)
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A woman admires the painting 'Kukatja' of Helecopter Tjungurrayi of Australia, in the exhibition 'PRO COMMUNITY Warlayirti Artists - Aboriginal Art of Balgo Hills' during the press preview in Leipzig, central Germany, Thursday, July 12, 2012. Warlayirti Artists of Balgo Hills, the third major art centre together with Papunya Tula and Warlukurlangu Artists, have been wowing the Australian art world since the late 80s. The exhibition starts on July 13, 2012 and last until Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (credit:PA)
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A woman stands behind the painting 'Yurna' by Miriam Baadjo Nangala of Australia, in the exhibition 'PRO COMMUNITY Warlayirti Artists - Aboriginal Art of Balgo Hills' during the press preview in Leipzig, central Germany, Thursday, July 12, 2012. Warlayirti Artists of Balgo Hills, the third major art centre together with Papunya Tula and Warlukurlangu Artists, have been wowing the Australian art world since the late 80s. The exhibition starts on July 13, 2012 and last until Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (credit:PA)
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A woman stands behind the painting 'Winpurpula' (2011) by Christine Yukenbarri Nakamarra of Australia, in the exhibition 'PRO COMMUNITY Warlayirti Artists - Aboriginal Art of Balgo Hills' during the press preview in Leipzig, central Germany, Thursday, July 12, 2012. Warlayirti Artists of Balgo Hills, the third major art centre together with Papunya Tula and Warlukurlangu Artists, have been wowing the Australian art world since the late 80s. The exhibition starts on July 13, 2012 and last until Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (credit:PA)
(06 of15)
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Christie's employee Bettina Braunwalder of Switzerland walks past an Aboriginal painting by Australian artist Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri entitled 'Emu Dreaming' at the auction house's offices in the Kensington area of London, Thursday July 21, 2005. The 1995 piece by the Aboriginal artist will feature in Christie's auction of Australian Aboriginal Art scheduled in Melbourne on August 30. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:PA)
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II inspects an Aboriginal art exhibit at the National Museum of Australia construction site in Canberra. 2000 (credit:PA)
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Sotherby's Director of Aboriginal Art, Tim Klingender positions a painting by Aboriginal artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri called "Love (sun) Dreaming, on display at Sotheby's Melbourne auction house. The painting is expected to sell for between $60,000-$80,000 and is part of Sotherby's June 24 auction of Aboriginal art . (credit:PA)
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Olympic sprinter Cathy Freeman became the face of a campaign to get Australians to recognise the international appeal of their "unique" Aboriginal culture at a launch at the Victorian National Gallery of Art. 2003 (credit:PA)
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Prince Charles looks at paintings by aboriginal artists. 2005 (credit:PA)
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Claire Cohen from Christie's sits beneath Lundari (Baramundi Dreaming), a 1985 work by the Australian Aboriginal artist Rover Thomas which has gone on display at the central London auction house, ahead of it's sale at Christie's in Melbourne on August 30. The painting depicts an Aboriginal legend and is one of the most significant of its kind to be offered at auction. 2005 (credit:PA)
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Claire Cohen from Christie's stands in front of Aiyippa Grass of Entibera by Australian Aboriginal artist Lily Sandover Kngwarreye, which has gone on display at the central London auction house.2005 (credit:PA)
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Christie's Aboriginal Art Specialist Shaun Dennison looks at an Aboriginal painting by Australian artist Rover Thomas entitled 'Ruby Plains Massacre' at the auction house's offices in the Kensington area of London, Thursday July 21, 2005. The 1985 piece by the Aboriginal artist, which is expected to fetch AUD $400,000 to $500,000 (US $305,244 to US $381,918 / 250,757 to 313,436), will be for sale in Christie's Australian Aboriginal Art auction scheduled in Melbourne, Australia on August 30. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:PA)
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Prince Harry, the younger son of the Prince of Wales, stands May 12, 2003, in the Drawing School with two of the works of art he has done while at Eton College. His work, as yet untitled, involves a mixture of painting and printing, and reflects his habit of using animals as his starting point. In this case, the original study of lizards has been influenced by an interest in Aboriginal art. This is one of a series of picture released ahead of the Prince completing his studies at Eton. (credit:PA)
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Christie's employee Rhiannon Broomfield poses for photographs beside the untitled painting by Aboriginal artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye which features in the forthcoming Modern and Contemporary Australian Art auction at the auction house's offices in London, Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. The piece is estimated to fetch 60,000 to 80,000 pounds (US$121,733 to 162,311; 83,162 to 110,883 euro) in the sale, which takes place on Dec. 12, and is the first ever sale of it's kind in Europe. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:PA)