A famously theatrical monologue, given by a man as police arrested him at a Chinese restaurant in Australia, has officially been preserved by the country's national archive.
The 1991 clip of Jack Karlson's arrest in Brisbane became an internet sensation when it was rediscovered in 2009.
What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal Karlson – born Cecil George Edwards – dramatically shouted, while resisting the officers.
Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest and get your hand off my penis were among his other, now immortalised, phrases that have been officially recognised by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) for their cultural significance.
The moment, now known as Democracy Manifest, became one of the most viral videos in Australia's history, inspiring thousands of memes, musical remixes, merchandise, and even an orchestral piece.
Describing his protest as dramatic, indignant and unexpectedly articulate, NFSA explained that Karlson's words became shorthand for irreverent Australian humour.
The recording demonstrates how voice and performance can transform an everyday news event into a lasting piece of cultural folklore, it added.
Jack Karlson died from prostate cancer in 2024, aged 82. Months earlier, he reunited with one of the policemen in the video, Stoll Watt, to announce an upcoming documentary about his obscure and eccentric life.
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.
There are two main theories regarding his arrest: one that he had been confused with a Hungarian chess player known for dine-and-dash attempts, and another that American Express had reported him for using stolen credit cards.
The NFSA releases its Sounds of Australia capsule each year to recognize recordings that have had lasting impacts, alongside other significant entries such as Missy Higgins' 2004 hit and the distinct beeping of pedestrian crossings that shape urban life.
