Heartless trolls have criticised Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell for getting married amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple rushed down the aisle on Wednesday just hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison enforced restrictions on weddings with more than five people in attendance.
Bindi, 21, who is the daughter of the late Steve ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ Irwin, and her wakeboarder husband, 23, sensibly chose not to have any guests present – but they were still criticised on Twitter for going ahead with the ceremony.
Criticism: Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell have been slammed by trolls for marrying before the COVID-19 wedding shutdown – even though they didn’t invite any guests to the ceremony
‘Shame on you, Bindi Irwin. Australia’s health is more important than your wedding,’ one person raged on Twitter.
‘Doesn’t get much more selfish and entitled than the fast-tracked Bindi Irwin wedding amidst a government enforced national lockdown because of a deadly global health pandemic… does it?’ another wrote.
One troll aim at the couple after aerial footage emerged of a group of people huddling underneath umbrellas before the ceremony at Australia Zoo.
Precautions: The couple sensibly chose not to have any guests present, but they were still criticised on Twitter for going ahead with the wedding (pictured)
‘Shame on you’: Trolls slammed the happy couple for rushing down the aisle just hours after prime minister Scott Morrison enforced restrictions on weddings with more than five people in attendance
‘How’s that social distancing working for you? Nice umbrella cluster,’ they wrote.
However, plenty of people defended Bindi and Chandler’s decision to fast-track their wedding.
One supporter tweeted: ‘Y’all coming for Bindi Irwin who had NO guests at her wedding and got married on site at the zoo where she lives (!) are so nasty.’
Another wrote: ‘If any of you speak ill of Bindi Irwin for having her wedding despite the pandemic, it’s ON SITE. They didn’t have any guests and it was at the zoo where they basically live.’
‘How’s that social distancing working for you Bindi?’ Another critic took aim at the couple after photos emerged of the wedding party huddling underneath umbrellas
Bindi’s wedding party consisted of her mother Terri, 55, and brother Robert, 16, who walked her down the aisle.
Terri’s close confidant, U.S.-based author Steve Maraboli is believed to have officiated the ceremony.
On Thursday, Bindi confirmed she and Chandler had chosen not to have any guests in order to ‘keep everyone safe’ amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Hitting back: However, plenty of people defended Bindi and Chandler’s decision to fast-track their wedding date
‘We’ve planned this beautiful day for nearly a year and had to change everything, as we didn’t have guests at our wedding,’ she wrote on Instagram.
‘This was a very difficult decision but important to keep everyone safe.’
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison enforced tough restrictions on weddings as the number of COVID-19 cases in Australia continues to rise.
Family: Bindi’s mother Terri, 55, and brother Robert, 16, attended the intimate outdoor wedding on Wednesday
‘Large gatherings for weddings, sadly, won’t be possible under these new arrangements,’ he said.
‘Sadly, also, and I know this will be very difficult, funerals to no more than 10 persons observing the rules around the four-square-metre rule and the social distancing practices.
‘This is not an easy decision. Where we have already found, and Dr Murphy [Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy] can speak to this, some of the events that have been some of the major transmitting events, it has been exactly these types of events, particularly weddings.
‘And that is why, regretfully, we have to be able to put these arrangements in place.’
As of Thursday morning, there are 2,675 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 11 deaths.
Pandemic: As of Thursday morning, there are 2,675 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including 11 deaths