A pub in Bluff is under fire for a controversial sign in its window comparing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield to Nazis.
A photo of the sign, seen stuck on the window of Bluff's The Eagle pub, was posted to Twitter by Invercargill City councillor and broadcaster Marcus Lush on Sunday.
The sign labels Ardern as "Ms Jacinda Hitler" and Dr Bloomfield as "Dr Ashley Goebbles" [sic] - referring to Joseph Goebbels, the minister of propaganda for the Third Reich under Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany regime.
"Welcome to The Eagle," the sign says. "Ms Jacinda Hitler and Dr Ashley Goebbles have decreed that it is MANDATORY for you to record your visit.
"Please use the Big Brother app (COVID Tracer app) to scan our QR code.
"Bought [sic] to you by Section 11 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 - aka Operation Reinhard (The Final Solution)."
Operation Reinhard was one of the most ruthless phases in the mass killing of Jews during World War II.
"Abhorrent," one Twitter user said.
"One to avoid post lockdown. I don't mind people questioning the Government but being pathetic about it is not called for," another wrote.
"This is disgusting," said another.
The Eagle pub's owners declined to comment when contacted by Newshub. Hospitality New Zealand said the business was not a member of its association.
Meanwhile, a cafe in Levin has erected posters telling people to "Unite against systematic erosion of our freedom to choose" - mimicking the Government's official 'Unite Against COVID-19' campaign and its signage with the same yellow and black design.
The Government's COVID-19 Response team has said non-Government bodies can only use Unite Against COVID content for non-commercial purposes while making it clear it came from its website and "is owned by the Crown".
