Brisbane, Australia - Jack Karlson, the Australian man who became an internet icon thanks to his unforgettable "Succulent Chinese Meal" and "Democracy Manifest" lines, has passed away at the age of 82.

In 1991, Karlson was arrested in Brisbane when the police came into the restaurant and forcibly detained him in what is still presumed to be a case of dramatic mistaken identity.

What happened next, though, turned him into a legendary meme when it made its way on the internet in 2009.

Video taken by a Channel Seven team at the scene of his arrest shows Karlson dragged out of the by an assortment of police officers. As he is manhandled into the police car, he gives a short speech that has since become iconic.

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"You just assured me that I could speak," an agitated Karlson says to a cop. When informed that he's under arrest, he turns to onlookers and dramatically calls out: "Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest!"

Another choice line follows, as he suddenly shout at another officer: "Get your hands off my penis! This is the bloke who got me on the penis, people!"

Then comes the line that would go down in history: "Why did you do this to me? What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?"

More than 30 years after the video was originally captured, Karlson died surrounded by his family on Wednesday evening.

"He walked a full and colorful path and, despite the troubles thrown at him, he lived by his motto – to keep on laughing," relatives said in a statement cited by the Guardian.

More than 30 years after first reporting on Karlson's arrest in 1991, the Channel Seven journalist Chris Reason took to X to share some thoughts on the Aussie legend.

"The cultural icon, whose arrest inspired a thousand t-shirts and millions of downloads, had advanced cancer. His immortal words will echo through generations," Reason said.

Reason had met with Karlson for the first time in 33 year back in June, and they returned to the scene of his arrest.

"I dunno, I just done it," Karlson said about the moment that made him immortal. "There was no premeditation involved."