The moment, now known as Democracy Manifest, became one of the most viral videos in Australia’s history, and inspired thousands of memes, musical remixes, merchandise and even an orchestral piece. <\/p>\n
Describing his protest as “dramatic, indignant and unexpectedly articulate”, NFSA said that “Karlson’s words became shorthand for irreverent Australian humour”.<\/p>\n
“The recording demonstrates how voice and performance can transform an everyday news event into a lasting piece of cultural folklore,” it wrote.<\/p>\n
Jack Karlson died from prostate cancer in 2024, aged 82.<\/p>\n
Months earlier, he had reunited with one of the policemen in the video, Stoll Watt, to announce an upcoming documentary into his obscure and eccentric life.<\/p>\n
Although he was a convicted criminal and had reportedly broken out of jail three times, Karlson had always maintained that the 1991 incident was a case of mistaken identity. <\/p>\n
There are two main schools of thought on this, the NFSA says – one that he had been confused for a Hungarian chess player known for dine-and-dash attempts in Australia at the time. <\/p>\n
“They thought I was some international gangster,” he said during one interview.<\/p>\n