Bookshops cull Pete Evans cookery books over neo-Nazi symbol

Pete Evans's cookery books have been removed from NZ bookshops after he posted a cartoon featuring a symbol used by neo-Nazis. Photo / File

Paper Plus has joined a growing list of bookshops that have removed Pete Evans cookery books after the Australian chef posted a symbol used by neo-Nazis on his Facebook page.

Paper Plus chief merchandise and marketing officer Jane Gammon said Evan's books have been removed from all Paper Plus stores and its website.

"Paper Plus does not support the recent posts made by Pete Evans. These views are not our views as a company or the views of our staff," she said.

"Yesterday we removed Pete Evan's titles from our website and are working with our third party provider to remove all other references. We also mandated to our members that all titles should be removed from their shelves with immediate effect."

The Warehouse also said yesterday that it has removed Evans's books. Australian supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles and department stores Kmart and Target have also removed Evans's books.

His last book, published last year, was on the Keto diet. He has also written seven other books including Healthy every day (2014), Pizza (2012) and My Kitchen (2011).

But his publisher, Pan Macmillan, has also cancelled his contract after he posted a cartoon featuring a caterpillar with a MAGA hat and a butterfly with the Black Sun symbol, which was also used by the Christchurch terrorist in his backpack and manifesto.

celebrity chef pete evans inevitably starts posting nazi and neo nazi memes on his facebook page. for anyone still supporting this man, and publishing him, and making him a “celebrity” — it’s probably time you took the hint pic.twitter.com/bguZRiXHkD

— David Farrier (@davidfarrier) November 16, 2020

Evans has now deleted the post and said on his Facebook page on Monday that he offered "sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over a drink and perceived that I was promoting hatred".

❤️🌈✌️ Sincere apologies to anyone who misinterpreted a previous post of a caterpillar and a butterfly having a chat over...

Posted by Chef Pete Evans on Sunday, November 15, 2020

Evans has made other headlines recently for his posts about conspiracy theories, in which he claims, among many other things, that Covid-19, the dangerous pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, is a hoax.

The former My Kitchen Rules judge, whose Facebook page has 1.5 million followers, has also made posts opposing vaccination.