High-profile Indigenous Australians have condemned a social media post showing a man dressed as an Aboriginal Australian and posing with a petrol can.
Fabian Natoli posted the image to Instagram with the caption: “Every now and then you just need to culturally enrich yourself and get in touch with the dreamtime #nookstock”.
It is not known when the image was originally posted but Thelma Plum, a musician, shared a screenshot with her 30,000 followers in Instagram on Tuesday morning, awarding Natoli the title of “dead shit of the day”.
Natoli commented on Plum’s post, explaining that he had “dressed as an Aboriginal to an Australia-themed party (No racism intended)”.
“I’ve said sorry and I genuinely meant it ... saw the jerry can, picked it up to [take] what I thought was a funny photo, clearly knowing now that it wasn’t and it was offensive to a lot of people.”
He told Plum’s followers that threatening him and calling him a “white privileged gronk” was no better than him posting the photo.
“If you can’t accept my apology and continue to abuse it won’t achieve anything other then showing your character,” he wrote. “Once again I am sorry for offending you all. It was dumb and apart from what you all think I’m not a racist, honestly did it just for some ‘humor’ enjoy your day guys.”
Natoli made his Instagram profile private on Tuesday morning within two hours of Plum’s post because of “all the threats”.
“It was a dumb joke I said sorry,” he wrote. “Accept the apology or not. What’s done is done.”
Guardian Australia has attempted to contact Natoli and Plum.
Ryan Griffen, the creator of the ABC drama Cleverman, condemned Natoli’s costume on Twitter. “There has been enough reporting on this shit for people to know it’s wrong. Apology or not this is clearly racist and so was it’s intent.”
The rapper Briggs did the same: “What did I tell you about white dudes with dreadlocks?”
There has been enough reporting on this shit for people to know it's wrong. Apology or not this is clearly racist and so was it's intent. pic.twitter.com/XZZ5O5k76r
— Ryan Griffen (@RyanJGriffen) October 3, 2016
What did I tell you about white dudes with dreadlocks? Gronks. pic.twitter.com/rvm4dlDhJ8
— BRIGGS AKA BIG SIGH (@BriggsGE) October 3, 2016
Another Indigenous rapper, Djarmbi Supreme, shared the screenshot alongside another of Natoli’s Instagram posts – a photo of a group of Indigenous Australians with the caption, “Nothing more Australian than playing footy in Darwin in front of these Aussie citizens #blockyournose&lockthecar”.
Hey @manly_rugby is this cool dude still on your list? Pretty cool. In a racist disgrace kinda way. pic.twitter.com/wDgsu8IB2f
— iPhone Milat (@DJARMBISUPREME) October 3, 2016
Natoli lives in Sydney and has played rugby for the Manly Marlins.
