<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ladies and gentlemen, this is iconic Australiana, manifest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 1991 arrest outside a restaurant in Brisbane's Chinatown, which nearly 20 years later became one of the world's first viral video memes, has officially become one of the Sounds of Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On the afternoon of August 11 that year, reporters received a tip police were about to make a major arrest at the China Sea restaurant in Fortitude Valley.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-31-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/dff4c600-1131-4ea1-9c36-c24ba0df6fcb" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump threatens to wipe out critical island, UN calls emergency meeting</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As originally reported by Seven, police expected to find one of Australia's most wanted men dining there.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>What they found instead was Jack Karlson.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It's never quite been clear why Karlson, a bit-part actor who had done time behind bars, was subjected to a police arrest outside the restaurant.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/succulent-chinese-meal-meme-enters-national-film-and-sound-archive/c3add7d4-66e8-4ab7-b54f-4ad218c07a02" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>FUEL CRISIS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-shortage-australia-when-will-petrol-prices-go-down-explained/79bd42b8-cb81-4def-abf3-d4f6fec80680" target="_blank"><strong><span>When will Australia's petrol prices go down after fuel excise halved?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But his outraged response ultimately made him a legend.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm under what?" he asked the officers, before struggling against their attempts to cuff him and force him into a car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a ringing baritone, Karlson declared to the crowd, "This... is... democracy manifest".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>MONEY:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/reserve-bank-recommends-removing-card-fees-surcharges-in-new-report/b1946a2c-ea63-48bf-b1d4-676dc696f369" target="_blank"><strong><span>RBA to end credit card surcharges as cash usage dwindles</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also taunted the arresting officers, remarking to one: "Ah yes - I see you know your judo well".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And it's also hard to forget his furious bellow: "Take your hand off my penis!"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But perhaps what sealed Karlson's immortality came when he asked - perhaps rhetorically, "What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/health-insurance-premiums-increase-april-1-cancel-downgrade-switch-providers/9df5ccf7-0654-48bd-b60d-1a8a082e648f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Why thousands of Aussies plan to cancel their health insurance tomorrow</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The original footage was uploaded to the then-nascent video sharing site YouTube by Nine presentation co-ordinator and tape operator Russell Furman found, who found the tapes in 2009.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Seen and shared on the same site by US content creator Ray William Johnson in 2013, the video exploded, being viewed millions of times all over the world.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Karlson, who died in 2024, also returned to the limelight, conducting multiple interviews on the subject, and admitting he wasn't sure what prompted the famous outburst.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jackie-o-files-lawsuit-against-arn-media/9defc00f-9e9c-4734-b7e6-387fecf4485c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Jackie 'O' files $82 million lawsuit after radio contract torn up</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now, the original Seven news broadcast has been named one of nine Sounds of Australia for 2026 by the National Film and Sound Archive.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Others included Scar by Missy Higgins, Rosie Batty's Australian of the Year acceptance speech, the Reading Writing Hotline jingle, and the sound of a PB/5 pedestrian crossing button.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>You can find all of them - and the stories behind them - </span><a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sounds-of-australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="at the NFSA website"><span>at the NFSA website</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>