Displaying items by tag: vandalism

In Melbourne, early on 26 January (Australia Day), a century-old statue of Captain James Cook was cut down and a Queen Victoria monument vandalised with red paint. Australia Day commemorates the anniversary of Britain's first fleet landing in 1788, marking the start of the colonial era. The Cook statue, which commemorates his 1768-1771 voyage charting Australia's east coast, has a history of being targeted on or around Australia Day. The vandals left the message 'The colony will fall' on its base. Victoria premier Jacinta Allan condemned the vandalism, stating it had no place in the community, and efforts would be made to repair and reinstate the statue and clean the Queen Victoria memorial. While polls indicate that approximately 60% of people support celebrating Australia Day, many view it as inappropriate due to its association with the displacement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands and cultures. Protests against 'Invasion Day' have grown, and some people boycott the holiday.

There have been calls for protection of churches in Northern Ireland after figures showed almost 450 attacks in three years. For example, Saintfield Road Presbyterian Church suffered two arson attacks in July 2016, while the Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare was attacked with paint on Easter Sunday 2019. In Belfast, both the synagogue and the Islamic centre have been damaged in the last ten years. Christian Access Research and Education (Care NI) has written to the leaders of all the political parties asking for more support to be made available for religious buildings, and urged them to set up an initiative like the Place Of Worship fund which helps protect religious buildings in England and Wales.

There have been calls for protection for churches in Northern Ireland after 445 incidences of criminal damage to religious buildings, churchyards, or cemeteries in the last three years. Belfast’s synagogue and Islamic centre have also been damaged in the last ten years. The leaders of all the political parties have been urged to make more support available to religious buildings and to commit to setting up an initiative like the ‘Place Of Worship Fund’, which helps to protect religious buildings in England and Wales. Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler said, ‘Places of worship, no matter what faith or denomination, should be a cherished place of peace and sanctuary. Attacking a church is an attack against its entire congregation.’