Statues of Captain Cook and Queen Victoria in Melbourne have been defaced with a message — “The colony will fall”. Image sources: Bidgee, via Wikimedia Commons; Cookaa, via Wikimedia Commons.
A memorial to Captain Cook in Saint Kilda has been toppled this morning in an apparent act of protest.
The bronze statue located in Catani Gardens had been sawn off at the ankles and was found lying next to its plinth.
Spray-painted in red on the base of the plinth read the words “the colony will fall”.
Victorian Police estimate the statue was cut down around 3:30am on Thursday morning.
The police are currently launching an investigation into “criminal damages” and have said that several people were seen loitering around the area at the time.
In central Melbourne, the Queen Victoria Monument has also been found smeared in red paint.
The same words were written across it, “the colony will fall”.
The statue of Captain Cook in Catani Gardens has previously been targeted during the lead up to the public holiday on 26 January.
In 2018, the statue was doused in pink paint and the words “no pride” written on the plinth and again in 2022 with red paint.
In 2021, security guards were hired to watch the statute on the eve of 26 January to prevent expected vandalism.
Amangu Yamatji academic Dr Crystal McKinnon spoke with NITV in 2022 about the incident.
“It shows how frustrated and angry the community is with the continued celebrations of invasion, colonisation, and murder,” said McKinnon.
“People are frustrated and angry and that is one of the ways that is being expressed.”
The public holiday is a point of contention among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
On 26 January 1938, the Australian Aborigines League (APL) and the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) proclaimed the date a National Day of Mourning.
The APL and APA’s statement aligned with the 150th anniversary of the First Fleet landing in Botany Bay.
The national holiday of Australia was historically celebrated as Empire Day on 24 May, and 26 January was officialised as Australia Day in 1994.
“Invasion Day” rallies have been organised around the country in counter-observation to Australia Day.
