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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Laura Sharman

Anzac Day: Woman faces backlash after twerking to commemorate war dead

A twerking influencer is facing backlash after dancing and flashing her abs to commemorate Anzac Day.

Bianka Ismailovski sparked outrage on Tuesday when she uploaded a video of herself twerking to mark the war dead of Australia and New Zealand.

The Australian Instagrammer paid homage in her post and said: "Spent this morning twerking but then remembered it's Anzac Day so I guess I'm throwing it back for them. Lest we forget x."

Australians and New Zealanders come together on Anzac Day to commemorate those who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

The event, on April 25, also marks the anniversary of the ill-fated Gallipoli landings in Turkey in 1915 during the First World War.

Bianka chose to commemorate the occasion by uploading the clip which shows her twerking in a crop top.

Her post stood out against others including Australian celebrities who paid their respects by posting tributes.

Bianka said "we all honour in our own way" (@biankaismailovski/Instagram)
Australian influencer Bianka Ismailovski sparked outrage (@biankaismailovski/Instagram)

While stars such as Elyse Knowles, Braith Anasta and Olivia Molly Rogers attended special dawn services across the country.

Yet Bianka defended her decision in another video, insisting that it wasn't disrespectful and that she is "Bette Midler at this point."

"I know some people are going to be that's disrespectful, but is it? Me shaking this beautiful, juicy a**e. I'm doing it for the troops, we all honour in our own way," she said.

'I know some people are going to be that's disrespectful, but is it?' (@biankaismailovski/Instagram)

"I'm doing what I think they would like if I'm honest."

The joke was not a huge hit with her fellow Instagrammers who were quick to call her out.

Watchdog account Influencer Tea Aus commented: "This ain't it. Comedian or not... humour has its place. I don't think Anzac Day is it."

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke to more than 30,000 people at the War Memorial in the capital Canberra for the first Anzac Day since his government was elected almost a year ago.

Bianka defended her post (@biankaismailovski/Instagram)

"Gallipoli is just one battle in our history, but in all its stories of valour and resilience, in its simple truth of Australians looking out for each other no matter how bad things got, it has come to stand for something so much bigger in our collective heart," he said.

His government chose the eve of Anzac Day to release a review of the nation's defence force which warned China's growing military strength and assertiveness meant Australia's geographic isolation did not provide the protection from global conflict that it once did.

In the UK, Prince William attended a dawn service to commemorate Anzac Day.

Not everybody agreed with her post (@biankaismailovski/Instagram)

The Prince of Wales laid a wreath during the 5am ceremony at Hyde Park, where members of the Armed Forces and public also gathered.

Last night, the Royal Family shared a post on its official Twitter page to remember all those who died while serving their country.

It tweeted: "This #AnzacDay, we pay tribute to all the men and women in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, who served and died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations."

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