The mis-spelled message ‘STAND UP TO PUTEN’ was written with seaweed in front of Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov’s Helena Bay mansion. Photo / Craig McCarthy
The mis-spelled message ‘STAND UP TO PUTEN’ was written with seaweed in front of Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov’s Helena Bay mansion. Photo / Craig McCarthy
A protester whose misspelt message to one of Russia's wealthiest oligarchs has been viewed online thousands of times says he did it as a show of support for the Ukrainian people.
When the man heard a peace flotilla was headed to a Northland mansion owned by Russian steel magnate AlexanderAbramov he decided to make his own statement denouncing the invasion.
After consulting Google maps he found he could reach the secluded lodge at Helena Bay, near Oakura, by walking around the rocks at low tide.
The Auckland man, who did not want his name used, planned to scratch a message into the sand until he spotted piles of kelp washed ashore in a storm.
He gathered as much seaweed as he could and used it to make a statement urging Abramov, and the rest of the world, to resist President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine.
He created his masterpiece last Saturday, expecting it would soon be washed away, but it was still there when the flotilla arrived the following morning.
The message was also spotted by a photographer using a drone, who sent the image to the New Zealand Herald.
Ironically, the mistake — and the humorous headline it spawned — gave the message a far wider audience.
The Herald story was read 13,000 times in the first three hours and had clocked up just under 19,000 views as of yesterday. Other news organisations also picked up the story.
The mis-spelled message ‘STAND UP TO PUTEN’ was written with seaweed in front of Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov’s Helena Bay mansion. Photo / Craig McCarthy
The man said he was working in Northland at the time so seized his chance to make a statement.
''I don't usually do things like that but I did feel quite strongly. Often there's ambiguity and you don't know absolutely what's right or wrong, but in this situation, with Ukraine, it's pretty clear Russia has done something totally unacceptable,'' he said.
''I really admire the Ukrainian people for being prepared to put their lives on their line to defend their democracy. Democracies aren't perfect but at least the people have some say.''
He was also concerned that if Ukraine fell to Russia, other governments could be emboldened to invade their neighbours.
''If a lot of people take a small stand possibly it can shift the momentum ... I don't want to live in a world where we don't have the freedoms we have in New Zealand,'' he said.
He wrote the message during the day but no one challenged him.
He was pleasantly surprised by how close his seaweed statement was to Abramov's $50 million lodge and how long it had lasted.
He was, however, puzzled by his spelling mistake.
''I'm not even a bad speller and I looked at it really closely to make sure I didn't get it wrong.''
The message 'STAND UP TO PUTEN' was still clearly visible when a protest flotilla arrived at Helena Bay the following day. Photo / Peter de Graaf
All the same, he regarded it as the perfect protest. It was on public land, it would soon be washed away, and no one was hurt or offended.
''It's important we show solidarity with the Ukrainians even though we are a long way away. I think that makes it all the more significant.''
According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, three million Ukrainians have now fled to neighbouring countries. Most are women and children.
