Deputy mayor candidate Erin Deering celebrates 40th birthday at venue of disgraced restaurateur
Melbourne mayoral hopeful Erin Deering has said she didn’t “stop and think” about the possibility her birthday celebration at a restaurant owned by a man charged with holding up a Nazi swastika could cause offence.
Victoria
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Deputy lord mayor hopeful Erin Deering has apologised after celebrating her 40th birthday at a restaurant boycotted by several businesses because its owner was charged with holding up a Nazi swastika at a pro-Palestine protest.
On Sunday, Ms Deering posted a series of pictures of her birthday celebrations on Instagram, including one at Reine & La Rue in Melbourne CBD, owned by disgraced restaurateur Alan Yazbek.
Hours later, she deleted the image at Mr Yazbek’s restaurant.
Yesterday, Ms Deering told the Herald Sun: “I visited Reine and La Rue because my husband organised a surprise dinner there for my 40th birthday.
“I’d never visited the restaurant previously and was so touched by his gesture that I didn’t stop and think about the potential for our visit to cause offence.
“In no way do I support the actions of the restaurant’s owner or the use of antisemitic slogans or placards and apologise for any offence that I have caused.
“Melbourne has a long and proud multicultural history and antisemitic or anti-Islamic conduct has no place in our city.”
The apology comes after several big companies have cancelled sittings at the top Melbourne restaurant, which is usually booked solid at least 18 months in advance, amid widespread anger over Mr Yazbek’s actions.
French champagne house G.H. Mumm also ditched its planned partnership with Reine & La Rue inside Flemington’s Birdcage during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Images emerged in early October of Mr Yazbek at a Sydney pro-Palestine protest holding a sign that read “Stop Nazi Israel”, with the Star of David in the centre of the Israeli flag replaced with a swastika.
Mr Yazbek was charged over the display and will next face court on Thursday.
Mr Yazbek was one of an estimated 10,000 people at the march. He has since apologised “unequivocally” for his actions and has been lying low.
Ms Deering – who became a multi-millionaire after co-founding bikini company Triangl – also made headlines last month as she defended boasting in her memoir Hanging by a Thread about “illegally” smuggling stock across the Chinese border to avoid paying tax.
“If anyone has done business in China they know it can be complicated and difficult at times,” she told the Herald Sun.
Ms Deering and running mate, would-be lord mayor Arron Wood, have pitched some bold ideas in the Melbourne Council election campaign and are considered to be among the favourites.
A key pitch which Ms Deering is especially enthusiastic about is an “aggressive” campaign to bring more national and international events to Melbourne, including poaching Australian Fashion Week from Sydney.
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