‘Land back’: colonial monuments destroyed and vandalised in Melbourne’s Flagstaff gardens

<p>Statues commemorating Australia’s colonial history have been targets for vandalism in Melbourne as 26 January approaches</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jan/22/bondi-terror-attack-national-day-of-mourning-coalition-crisis-nationals-liberals-david-littleproud-sussan-ley-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Two monuments to colonial Australia have been vandalised in Melbourne’s Flagstaff gardens overnight.</p><p>Police said they believed machinery was used to pull down the Pioneer Monument, a sandstone obelisk erected in 1871 to commemorate the first European burial ground on the site.<br><br>
The monument was smashed into pieces beside the plinth on Thursday morning and daubed with the words “land back” and “death to Australia” in red paint.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/22/colonial-monuments-vandalised-melbourne-flagstaff-gardens-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →