Memes poking fun at Raygun are being wiped from the internet
Notorious Australian breakdancer's Olympic performance sparked a wave of memes, but now they're being quietly swept off social media platforms.
Memes poking fun at Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known by her now infamous stage name 'Raygun' are being cleansed from the web, leading many social media users to speculate on the nature of their removal.
Raygun's woeful breakdancing performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics quickly became a viral sensation, but not for the reasons she might have hoped.
On the left, you can see how they breakdance at the Paralympics.
— BowTiedMara (@BowTiedMara) August 16, 2024
On the right, the Australian “RayGun”.
I am not surprised that she is still in hiding in Europe 💀 pic.twitter.com/80HPWUR9Ty
The woke 36-year-old university lecturer found herself at the centre of a meme storm, with internet users comparing her routine to a dog rolling after a bath, a child showing off dance moves, and someone trying to get comfortable in bed on a hot night. However, in recent days, these memes have begun to vanish from social media.
🇦🇺 | The video of the competition final, where #Raygun secured her spot to represent Australia at the #Paris Olympics, has been released. #Australia's Olympic chief described her as the country's top breakdancer. pic.twitter.com/wD6YUAA0ny
— Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) August 14, 2024
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been actively removing content featuring 'unauthorised footage' of Gunn’s performance, citing copyright infringement.
According to the IOC, any use of their footage, including memes, without written permission is a violation of their rules, and users who have shared the content have faced takedown notices and account suspensions.
Those wishing to watch Gunn’s controversial performance will now need to do so through official channels, as the IOC clamps down on unauthorised sharing.
Finally realized where i had seen this move from Raygun before pic.twitter.com/LgJwmBSTlJ
— stonky makes me wonky (@cleanmypotato) August 14, 2024
Amid the controversy, Gunn addressed allegations that she manipulated her way into the Olympic team. A petition demanding apologies from Gunn and Australia’s Chef de Mission, Anna Meares, amassed 50,000 signatures before being removed for violating site policies.
Gunn expressed gratitude for her supporters but admitted the backlash has been tough.
This is honestly my first time seeing the full Raygun dance. Y'all did not lie. pic.twitter.com/cUKWbWkMHA
— AskAubry 🦝 (@ask_aubry) August 18, 2024
“I worked my butt off for this,” she claimed. “I’m honoured to have represented Australia and to be part of breaking’s Olympic debut. But the misinformation and harassment need to stop.”
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- By Avi Yemini
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