Pro-Palestine activists have dropped plans to disrupt Myer’s famed Christmas window unveiling after Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan accused of them “politicising Christmas” in a move she said would “not change one single thing in the Middle East”.

Activist group Disrupt Wars was going to “Crash the Christmas Windows” on Bourke Street in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday, with banners, flags, placards, noisemakers and props. But organiser Amy Settal said on Friday they dropped the action after Myer cancelled its window-reveal event the night before over safety concerns.

“The children coming to see the Myer Christmas windows were never a target because children are not a target,” Settal said on Friday.

“Myer’s ‘share the joy campaign’ is offensive given the absolute devastation children in Palestine are experiencing right now.

“Celebrating overconsumption while the historic birthplace of Jesus is under bombardment is abhorrent. The intention was to interrupt the media spectacle and economic gain sought by Myer.”

Allan had condemned the protest action as “ugly” and criticised the activists for ruining “these beautiful Christmas traditions”.

Earlier, Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece said he hoped the protest’s organisers would “realise that this is a really dumb thing to do”.