Stan has become an unwilling interested party in the furore following the racist abuse received by Labor senator Sam Dastyari.
Senator Dastyari, who was born in Iran, was subject to a racist tirade from a group of men who identify themselves as belonging to a group called Patriot Blue. It has now emerged that the name of the group is taken from a fictional group in Stan and Roadshow Production's new TV series, 'Romper Stomper', a sequel to the 1992 Russell Crowe movie of the same name. The fictional group in the show is a far-right group, not dissimilar to how the men who abused Senator Dastyari would describe themselves.
Following the incident, and after finding out the group's unauthorised use of the Patriot Blue name, Stan and Roadshow issued a joint statement condemning the attack and distancing themselves from the group involved. In addition, both companies have now engaged legal representatives to go after the group's use of the name.
"The group involved have misappropriated the name of the fictional group from the series. Stan and Roadshow Productions today instructed law firm Gilbert & Tobin to take appropriate legal action in relation to the infringement of the Patriot Blue trademark, and use of the Stan name on Facebook," said the statement from Stan and Roadshow Productions.
The joint statement also laid out the reasons why both companies believe that the new TV series is not only appropriate, despite the unintended inspiration it seems to have given to far-right groups, but especially necessary following this latest incident.
"Romper Stomper is a story that reflects contemporary issues from multiple view points and focuses on the alienated and fractured members of modern society. The incident with Senator Dastyari highlights that this is the right time to have an important national conversation about these issues, in a respectful and constructive way," their statement read.
