Thursday June 7, 2012

Victorian Police Chief Ken Lay’s crusade against the beard looks one step
closer to coming into fruition. His blatant and outright discriminatory wish to
see beards (and less importantly tattoos and moustaches) banned for all officers
in the Victorian Police Force has received backing from members of the
almost-entirely beardless State Government. The one MP brave enough to have a
beard, Gavin Jennings, has shown that that’s where his bravery ends, and is
towing the line.

We the bearded publicly condemn Ken Lay and ask that he stand down immediately
from his position as Victorian Police Chief Commissioner. It is our view that
Mr Lay would be better fitted to front a Victorian-era Police Force rather than
being in charge of policing a democratic state In Australia in the year of 2012.

We encourage all members of the Victorian Police Force, and also people
everywhere, to grow beards in protest. We see what Ken Lay is trying to do and
we will not be held down. He may not be able to grow a beard, but we can.