The 'gnome-napping' of 400 garden gnomes has caused a huge political scandal in Austria.
Austria, and its neighbor Germany, are extremely fond of the little fellows, and of using the English word 'cool' to describe something they like. So the Social Democrat Party decided it would be a great idea to use specially-designed garden gnomes named 'Coolmen' in their campaign.
Organizers obviously forgot how often political posters - which are normally used - are ripped off the lampposts they're attached to, and replaced with rivals' ones.
They soon remembered though, when all 400 of the gomes disappeared, and were replaced with posters from the rival People's Party. Oddly, Social Democrat spokesperson Reinhold Einwallner doesn't seem to object to the actual theft itself, just to who might have carried it out:
'Mr Einwallner said the Social Democrats were happy if individual members of the public wanted to take a Coolman gnome for their gardens but he said the party could not just stand by when campaign materials worth 3,000 euros ($3,958; £2,391) simply disappeared.'
The party have purchased a total of 20,000 gnomes, so if they all go missing too, it's going to add up to a big-money theft. Police are investigating.
Just as an aside, neighbor Germany has a habit of using posters with retouched photos that make all candidates bear a startling resemblance to a Chucky doll. I don't know which is scarier; gnomes with sunglasses looking like tough nightclub doormen, or candidates that look like something out of a horror movie.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28923234
Austria, and its neighbor Germany, are extremely fond of the little fellows, and of using the English word 'cool' to describe something they like. So the Social Democrat Party decided it would be a great idea to use specially-designed garden gnomes named 'Coolmen' in their campaign.
Organizers obviously forgot how often political posters - which are normally used - are ripped off the lampposts they're attached to, and replaced with rivals' ones.
They soon remembered though, when all 400 of the gomes disappeared, and were replaced with posters from the rival People's Party. Oddly, Social Democrat spokesperson Reinhold Einwallner doesn't seem to object to the actual theft itself, just to who might have carried it out:
'Mr Einwallner said the Social Democrats were happy if individual members of the public wanted to take a Coolman gnome for their gardens but he said the party could not just stand by when campaign materials worth 3,000 euros ($3,958; £2,391) simply disappeared.'
The party have purchased a total of 20,000 gnomes, so if they all go missing too, it's going to add up to a big-money theft. Police are investigating.
Just as an aside, neighbor Germany has a habit of using posters with retouched photos that make all candidates bear a startling resemblance to a Chucky doll. I don't know which is scarier; gnomes with sunglasses looking like tough nightclub doormen, or candidates that look like something out of a horror movie.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28923234
