In a brazen act that has left many reeling, a historic statue of King George in the city's Kings Domain was decapitated and defaced with red paint in a vandalism attack that took place under the cover of darkness.

The incident, which occurred on the eve of Victoria's King's Birthday public holiday, has sparked a flurry of debate among locals and historians alike.

Victoria Police is investigating the incident after the headless statue was discovered early on Monday morning, 10 June.

The vandals, whose identities remain unknown, were bold enough to record their actions, with a video surfacing online showing an individual in a high-vis jacket and head torch methodically sawing off the statue's head.

The King George V monument in Melbourne was beheaded and covered in red paint on King’s Birthday. Credit: 9News Australia / Youtube

Another figure, clad in a dark hoodie, was captured spray-painting the statue, leaving behind a stark message in red.

The police arrived around 9 AM on Monday, and an investigation is underway.

‘It appears the head of the statue has been removed and red paint thrown at the monument,’ a police spokesperson said.

‘Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.’

This is not the first time Melbourne has witnessed the defacement of its colonial-era monuments.

Earlier this year, on Australia Day, statues of Captain James Cook in St Kilda and Queen Victoria near the CBD were also targeted, reigniting the conversation around Australia's colonial past and its representation in public spaces.

The Captain Cook sculpture was cut at the ankles and left lying on the ground with a rope around its neck. Meanwhile, the Queen Victoria monument was covered in red paint.

The City of Melbourne has acknowledged the incident and is currently deliberating on the next course of action.

This story comes after when three Irish men were arrested over 60 alleged sophisticated home burglaries in Melbourne’s east.

The men allegedly stole over $1 million worth of property, including cash, jewellery, and designer handbags while the occupants were away.

They were then charged with several counts related to burglaries and theft, and an investigation ensued whether this group was linked to other unsolved burglaries.

You can watch 9 News Australia’s coverage of the beheaded King George monument below:

Credit: 9 News Australia / Youtube​

Key Takeaways

• Vandals beheaded and defaced the King George statue in Melbourne's Kings Domain with red paint.
• Victoria Police are investigating the incident and have called for witnesses to provide information to Crime Stoppers.
• A video surfaced online showing individuals sawing off the statue's head and spray-painting it.
• The vandalism occurred during the King's Birthday public holiday and followed similar defacement of colonial figure statues earlier in the year.

Have you encountered similar acts of vandalism in your local area? How do you feel about the preservation of historical statues and monuments? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

 

[Rob44]

What has this dialogue to do with the subject please?

I gather that Knell has stated a liking for Middle Eastern food.

Knell is also the respondent who complains I am a bit too academic when broadening the discussion to an overview of human evolution and human artwork on assorted caves.

I am not sure what liking, or disliking, Middle Eastern food has to do with the discussion about the vandalism of historical artifacts (statues) in this particular instance. I happen to like interesting ideas, including those pertaining to our old/ancient/older-than-ancient ancestors and where they might have got to, besides Peking and Indonesia. However, through food we leave remains that carry DNA; and with a bit of luck in the fossilised preservation of our turds we also leave behind a record of our passage through history. Which is what statues are all about.

Think laterally!

 

[Knell]

Cave paintings of the age to which I refer are not unique to Australia. I suppose my question about H erectus is a bit academic, but it is also an interesting one and certainly not racist.

Sorry for my error in misunderstanding. Like Graham the Crocodile, I allowed myself to be lured into a death-roll. (I had to “turn off the internet, take some Panadol and lay down for a while.” Now, going to cook some Korean cuisine today…LOL)

 

[Rob44]

Sorry for my error in misunderstanding. Like Graham the Crocodile, I allowed myself to be lured into a death-roll. (I had to “turn off the internet, take some Panadol and lay down for a while.” Now, going to cook some Korean cuisine today…LOL)

Cheers; and thinking further about beheaded statues, a beheaded statue is also part of our human history, reflecting the angst of the times for future generations, so why get our knickers in a twist about them? Leave them as is, beheaded, as a historical record of our brazen past (warning; pun alert!).

The Venus de Milo seems to lack arms, a foot and some ears, and so it goes. Maybe put put the statues' heads in a museum somewhere? Korean food is very pleasant although at times a bit hot; I wonder who invented cooking with chille pepper, which leads back to the British East India Company........the wars with the French and Napoleon's mob finding the Venus de Milo.......