This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/26/captain-cook-statue-and-two-others-in-sydneys-hyde-park-attacked-by-vandals
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Captain Cook statue and two others in Sydney's Hyde Park attacked by vandals | Captain Cook statue and two others in Sydney's Hyde Park attacked by vandals |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Three statues in Sydney’s Hyde Park – including one of Captain Cook – have been attacked by vandals following days of fierce public debate about whether they should be changed. | Three statues in Sydney’s Hyde Park – including one of Captain Cook – have been attacked by vandals following days of fierce public debate about whether they should be changed. |
Police are investigating “a number of incidents of malicious damage” in the park, believed to have happened between 2am and 3am on Saturday. | Police are investigating “a number of incidents of malicious damage” in the park, believed to have happened between 2am and 3am on Saturday. |
“Three crime scenes have been established throughout the park and inquiries are continuing,” a spokeswoman said. | “Three crime scenes have been established throughout the park and inquiries are continuing,” a spokeswoman said. |
The words “change the date” and “no pride in genocide” were spray-painted on the Captain Cook statue, and similar words were scrawled on that of Lachlan Macquarie. | The words “change the date” and “no pride in genocide” were spray-painted on the Captain Cook statue, and similar words were scrawled on that of Lachlan Macquarie. |
The graffiti attack comes just days after Indigenous broadcaster Stan Grant called for the inscription on the Cook statue – that he discovered the territory in 1770 – to be changed. | The graffiti attack comes just days after Indigenous broadcaster Stan Grant called for the inscription on the Cook statue – that he discovered the territory in 1770 – to be changed. |
But the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, weighing into the debate on Friday, said Grant was “dead wrong”. | But the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, weighing into the debate on Friday, said Grant was “dead wrong”. |
Turnbull said the vast majority of Australians would share his horror at the thought of “rewriting history” by editing the inscriptions on statues. | Turnbull said the vast majority of Australians would share his horror at the thought of “rewriting history” by editing the inscriptions on statues. |
“All of those statues, all of those monuments, are part of our history and we should respect them and preserve them,” he told Neil Mitchell on 3AW radio. | “All of those statues, all of those monuments, are part of our history and we should respect them and preserve them,” he told Neil Mitchell on 3AW radio. |
“By all means, put up other monuments, put up other signs and sites that explain our history.” | “By all means, put up other monuments, put up other signs and sites that explain our history.” |
He denounced such a “Stalinist exercise” of trying white out or obliterate parts of Australia’s history. | He denounced such a “Stalinist exercise” of trying white out or obliterate parts of Australia’s history. |
“You don’t rewrite history by editing stuff out; if you want to write a new chapter of our history, if you want to challenge assumptions in the past, by all means do so,” he said. | “You don’t rewrite history by editing stuff out; if you want to write a new chapter of our history, if you want to challenge assumptions in the past, by all means do so,” he said. |
A City of Sydney spokeswoman said the council was also cleaning up graffiti that appeared overnight in Martin Place and Macquarie Street. | |
“Sites affected include the Archibald Memorial Fountain, ANZAC Memorial and statues including the Captain James Cook statue,” she said. | |
“NSW police have completed forensic work and City cleaning crews have commenced work to remove the unlawful graffiti.” | |
The assistant immigration minister, Alex Hawke, who is vehemently opposed to changing the date of Australia Day, condemned the attack. | |
“This disgraceful extreme attack on our history &culture is shameful. Phillip& Cook were enlightened for their times,” he tweeted on Saturday. |