Unmasked – the nose ring protester who tried to ruin Myer’s Christmas display for Australian children… as a Melbourne woman reveals why her true identity is a secret
EXCLUSIVE
The protest organizer who tried to hijack the unveiling of the Myer Christmas window display says she regrets her actions ‘not even a little bit’ – as she reveals why she keeps her true identity a secret.
Many Aussies last week wondered about the background of those behind controversial plans to disrupt Melbourne’s traditional Christmas window unveiling with a pro-Palestine protest.
The activist group responsible, Disrupt Wars, said: “Christmas has been canceled and there will be no joy or frivolity when children come in.” Gaza are slaughtered.’
The only organizer to speak out publicly about the protest was ‘Amy Settal’ – not her real name – who initially called off her protest after causing a national furor when Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the protesters as a “bunch of idiots”.
But when a scaled-down version of the window unveiling took place on Sunday, Settal was still there with a handful of other protesters touting a sign that read “Morons 4 Palestine,” an apparent reference to Ms Allan’s scathing commentary.
Despite the heated national conversation sparked by Settal, she has refused to reveal her real name or background, telling Daily Mail Australia: “I’m nobody. My identity doesn’t matter. Palestinian lives matter.”
‘Amy Settal’ (pictured) says she is using a pseudonym for her own safety after organizing a protest at the unveiling of Myer’s Christmas windows last Sunday
Settal was among a small handful of protesters who showed up outside Myer on Sunday
She also said she was inundated with criticism after the protests.
‘For my own safety I use a pseudonym. My Instagram has been flooded with Islamophobic and violent messages,” Settal said.
“There are white men who have publicly tried to discover my identity and my location and have threatened violence and assault.”
Settal’s social media account shows that she converted to Islam last year and has been deeply involved in the pro-Palestinian movement.
Her response to the comment was unapologetic.
‘Do I regret causing public outrage and angering the Prime Minister? Not even a little bit,” she wrote on Monday.
‘Jacinta Allan is a Zionist puppet. Make no mistake, she doesn’t care what Myer’s “wonderful Christmas tradition” is.
Disrupt Wars provoked anger from parents and politicians alike last week, including Melbourne Mayor Nick Reece and Jewish leaders.
Settal converted to Islam last year and has been deeply involved in pro-Palestinian activism
But there was also support for the group’s cause, including from sacked ABC journalist Antoinette Lattouf and leading pro-Palestinian activist Nasser Mashni.
Lattouf mocked families outraged by the protest in a post on social media platform X.
“Love seeing Boomers circling the Myer Christmas show,” she wrote.
‘Leave children alone!’ ‘Protesters are ruining our way of life!’ Uhm… where was Jesus born? Which children’s lives are actually being ruined?’ she wrote.
Lattouf was fired by the ABC in December 2023 over her reporting on the war in Gaza.
The 40-year-old was taken off air for three days of a five-day stint as a fill-in for ABC Radio after she reposted a Human Rights Watch video.
The Fair Work Commission ruled in June that Lattouf had indeed been dismissed by the national broadcaster; she is now filing a wrongful dismissal lawsuit in federal court.
