Australian nationalists and anti-vaxxers have vandalised several war memorials and national monuments in Melbourne and Sydney as part of their protests on Australia Day.
On Tuesday, crowds of people gathered in the city’s CBDs to celebrate Australia’s national day, but their festivities were marred by a group of demonstrators who targeted historical landmarks.
At the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, which honours the country’s war dead, several people were seen defacing the monument with red paint and removing flags.
“I’m appalled and saddened that on Australia Day, when we should be coming together to celebrate our nation and its people, a group of individuals would resort to vandalism and disrespect to our war heroes,” said Australian Governor-General David Hurley.
Similar incidents were reported at the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney, where a group of protesters sprayed graffiti on the monument and damaged a statue.
The vandals also targeted the iconic Australia Day flags at the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, removing them and leaving behind messages criticizing the government and its COVID-19 vaccination program.
Police have launched an investigation into the incidents and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the vandalism, saying it was “unacceptable and disrespectful” and that those responsible would be held accountable.
“We are a nation that values freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and it is disappointing that a small minority would choose to engage in behaviour that is destructive and divisive,” he said.
The Australia Day celebrations have traditionally been marked by controversy, with many Indigenous Australians and left-wing groups criticising the date and the country’s treatment of its indigenous people.
