Yet another statue of Captain James Cook has been destroyed in the wake of vandalism that destroyed a different sculpture of the famous explorer in the lead up to Day.
The bronze sculpture of the British explorer at the famous Cook’s Cottage in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne’s East, was sawn off below the feet about 3.45am on Monday.
The words ‘the colony will fall’ were painted next to where the statue once stood and has since been taken by the City of Melbourne Council for safekeeping.
A spokesperson for the council said CCTV footage allegedly captured four people cutting down the statue.
A separate video posted online by an anonymous account appears to show masked individuals using an angle grinder to destroy the statue before it fell to the ground.
A statue of Captain James Cook next to the famous Cook’s Cottage in Melbourne’s East has been destroyed with no trace of where it has gone (pictured)
The council has provided Victoria Police with the CCTV footage and is assessing if the statue can be repaired.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police said that investigations into the incident are ongoing and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Sculpted by Marc Clark in 1973, the statue was erected at the site in 1997 to be next to the cottage owned by Captain Cook’s parents in the English village of Great Ayton in the 18th century.
It’s the third time a memorial Captain Cook has been damaged in Melbourne this year.
A statue at St Kilda’s Jacka Boulevard was also sawn off at the ankles the day before Day.
The words “the colony will fall” were written in red spray paint on a stone plinth underneath where the statue usually stands.
The same day, a statue of Queen Victoria at Queen Victoria Gardens near the city was also covered in red paint and graffiti.
A second monument to Captain Cook at Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy was then found broken and covered in graffiti over the Day long weekend.
Melbourne’s Port Phillip Council has vowed to repair and reinstate the monument at St Kilda while a decision has not yet been made about the future of the Edinburgh Gardens monument.
More to come.
The statue was sawn off just below the feet before being found on the ground beside the words ‘the colony will fall’ painted alongside it