British influencer leaves Australia after ‘insensitive’ Anzac Day TikTok blunder

A British influencer has apologised after her video was accused of trivialising Australia’s Anzac Day.

Allegra Phipps posted a light-hearted video of herself to her 51,000 followers dancing and enjoying drinks at 7am, which she has since deleted.

To those living outside Australia, it might have seemed much like Allegra’s usual content on Instagram, but it has riled up those who mark the day.

Anzac Day is a public holiday falling on April 25, which sees people in Australia and New Zealand commemorate all soldiers killed in wars and conflict – most notably the First and Second World Wars.

Similar to Remembrance Day in the UK, it is typically observed with services, marches and wreath-laying ceremonies.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.

Allegra posted her video on Anzac Day during her 12-week trip to the country.

But it caused an uproar among some Aussies and led her to issue an apology after being accused of being out of touch.

She said she didn’t grasp the full weight of the day, the Daily Mail reports.

The video was taken down as soon as she realised the upset it had caused, she said.

Allegra said: ‘I was trying to express an appreciation for the sense of unity that the day can bring.

‘I did not mean to celebrate the day in a way that overlooks its true significance or the sacrifices it represents.

‘Once I understood the significance of Anzac Day and how my post came across, I knew the right thing was to take it down.

‘I’m sorry for any offence or hurt I caused.’
Social media commentators wondered whether Allegra had confused the day with another national holiday.

One person wrote: ‘Surely, they’re mixing it up with Australia Day?

That’s all I can fathom.’

What is Anzac Day?

Anzac Day marks the start of the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915, which was the first major battle fought by the Australian and New Zealand troops during the First World War.

It has been marked every year on April 25 to remember all victims of war from the two countries.

The word Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Around 416,000 Australians served in the First World War, while around 220,000 New Zealand, Maori and Pacific Island soldiers had been either conscripted or enlisted during the war, according to the Commonwealth Graves Commission.

In the Second World War, a million Australians enlisted to serve, with around 10% of Australia’s entire population serving in the army at some point during the war.

Around 120,000 people from much smaller New Zealand served in the war.

There are almost as many views on the modern Anzac Day as there are Australians.

It has been debated whether the country should let go of the Anzac Day tradition, and whether it is a day of glorification of violence or a time to reflect on collective trauma.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.