Billboard vandalised with pro-Hamas graffiti
Victoria Police said it was investigating the incident after it was reported early on Tuesday morning
A billboard overlooking a major intersection in Melbourne’s inner north has been defaced with pro-Hamas graffiti on the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
Vandals spray-painted “Glory to Hamas” on the billboard at the corner of Brunswick Street and Alexandra Parade in Fitzroy, with the message appearing on Tuesday morning to mark the two-year anniversary of the terrorist group’s attack which killed 1200 Israelis and saw another 250 taken hostage.
Victoria Police said it was investigating the incident after it was reported early on Tuesday morning.
“There is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley condemned the vandalism and called for those responsible to face the full force of the law.
“The hateful graffiti sprayed in Fitzroy this morning is deeply disturbing,” Ley said. “Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia. Supporting them is not free speech, it is a crime. Those responsible must face the full force of the law.”
Ley said the AFP and ASIO should support Victoria Police to track down those behind the act.
“Victorians deserve to feel safe in their own community,” she said. “Hate has no place on our streets.”
Goldstein MP and Shadow Small Business Minister Tim Wilson told Sky News the vandalism was “deeply distressing” and a reminder that “Hamas has won a propaganda war every step of the way”.
“Unfortunately, there are people who look at innocent civilians being used as human shields, as Israeli hostages being held behind enemy lines now for two years, and sadly, some people have been taken in by this propaganda and think it should be inflamed and congratulated when it should condemned resolutely and unapologetically,” Wilson said.
He criticised what he described as a “failure of leadership” at federal and state levels.
“It’s one of the tragedies of the past two years,” Wilson said. “There’s been many tragedies, but the biggest tragedy has been a failure of leadership particularly from Canberra and particularly from our state premier in Victoria where we’ve seen consistent rise of extremism, they’ve failed to call it out. And as a consequence, it’s created a permissive environment where now many people are fearful for their safety.”
Wilson said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had “lost his moral authority” by not standing up against protests on October 9, 2023 at the Sydney Opera House.
“He wasn’t resolute. And so he lost his moral authority then, it’s just continued to cascade since,” Wilson said.
The vandalism came on the same day Albanese said he did not want protests to take place on the October 7 anniversary.
Victorian Liberal MP David Southwick said on social media that “glorifying Hamas, a terrorist group that butchered 1200 innocent people and took 250 hostages, is vile”.
“The Jewish community is at breaking point,” Southwick wrote. “Melbourne will end up like Manchester unless we have leadership that protects people from hate.”
The incident occurred as a push continues for another pro-Palestinian protest at the Sydney Opera House, potentially this Sunday, which is currently before the courts.