Attacks on US Consulate, MP offices branded
Pro-Palestine supporters who vandalised a United States Consulate building and the offices of several Labor MPs have been warned not to bring the Middle East conflict to the streets of Australia.
Damage is seen to the exterior of the U.S. Consulate General in Melbourne in Melbourne, Friday, May 31, 2024. Photo: James Ross/AAP
Red paint was thrown at the offices after 4am on Friday and Victoria Police are investigating the incidents.
The frontage of the building housing the US Consulate General on St Kilda Road in inner Melbourne was covered in paint and foyer windows were smashed in several places.
Graffiti on the building included the phrases “Free Gaza” and “Glory To The Martyrs”.
Police cordoned off the building and workers were trying to remove the graffiti.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan was concerned for the safety of those working in the offices.
“By all means protest and protest peacefully but do not see the conflict in the Middle East bring conflict to our streets,” she told reporters in Ballarat.
“It would not advance any cause in any way to see people going about doing their work feeling unsafe, it also will not change the course of the conflict in the Middle East.”
The office of federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Main Street at Mordialloc was also smeared in red paint, obscuring signage and several windows.
Vandals similarly targeted the offices of federal NDIS and Government Services Minister Bill Shorten in Moonee Ponds and Victorian state politician Kat Theophanous on High Street in Northcote.
Mr Shorten described actions on Friday as “coercive bullying, illegal conduct”.
“People have got a right to feel strongly about the distressing scenes in Gaza and in Israel but there’s a line and you don’t cross it,” Mr Shorten told reporters.
“The idea you are saying you’re protesting for peace by being violent is like burning books for literacy – it’s just rubbish.”
Pro-Palestine activist groups have proclaimed Friday a “national day of action against Labor MPs” and will stage protests throughout the day, including at the office of federal Labor MP Peter Khalil in Coburg.
Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside a defence conference on Collins Street hosted by the Australian British Chamber of Commerce before marching through the Melbourne CBD.
Some carried dolls covered in a red substance.
Victoria’s Minister for Jobs and Industry Natalie Hutchins was due to speak at the event, which is focused on the state’s plans for jobs and skills under the AUKUS defence pact.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said the protests were “not acceptable”.
“I share the depth of concern, depth of feeling that Australians have about what is occurring in Gaza,” she said.
“And I have made, on behalf of this country, very strong statements, as has the prime minister.
“We have said to Israel, do not go down this path but we should rightly condemn protests which are violent and which are hateful and aggressive.”
It comes as more than 800 public servants in three levels of government signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling on Australia to cease all military exports to Israel.
“As public servants whose work is to serve our communities, it is our obligation to voice our deep concern that you are leading Australia to be complicit,” the letter said.
On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1200 people and taking more than 200 hostages, according to Tel Aviv.
AAP
We really don’t want to hear any more from you, Penny Wong.
After these kinds of violent acts, you still find it necessary to voice your belief in Israel’s violence played out against Palestinians, almost as a sugared pill to offer the offenders breaking the law in Melbourne and doing so violently, before slapping them lightly on the wrist.
Shame on you.
When you respond to the atrocities committed by Hamas, that is not genocide, that is war.