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TRANSCRIPT:
Street artist Peter Drew is known for his 'Aussie' street art series celebrating multiculturalism.
His posters feature many migrants photographed in the early 1900s and have the word Aussie underneath the image.
In copycat style, posters have appeared in Melbourne featuring the image of accused Bondi gunman Naveed Akram with the word Aussie beneath his face.
Artist Peter Drew says it's not the first time his posters have been subverted.
"My immediate reaction was 'deja vu' because this has happened before, ten years ago, people from the far left copied my posters for different reasons but in a very similar way."
Melbourne City Council and other inner Melbourne local government jurisdictions have been quick to remove the posters.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece says the copycat posters are deeply offensive.
"It is absolutely abhorrent that someone has hijacked his artwork and use it to create these terribly distressing images."
As the councils review CCTV footage, Victoria Police says it's investigating the posters in relation to the offence of billposting.
Lord Mayor Reece says new state and Commonwealth laws might be applicable.
"We have seen new state and Commonwealth anti-hate, antisemitic laws, those laws are brand new, they're yet to be tested in the courts, so this could be a good test case."
The Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Doctor Dvir Abramovich, hopes those responsible are held accountable.
"If you glorify and celebrate the mass murder in a public space, you should be held accountable. I hope police identify the perpetrators and lay charges, if the law allows, and hopefully they end up behind bars. Anything less invites further escalation."
