‘Gutless’: Activists target MPs offices
The US Consulate and several Victorian MPs have been vandalised in a targeted attack by pro-Palestinian activists who have vowed a national day of action.
Police are investigating the incident and allege that the incident occurred from 4am on Friday.
The offices were covered in red paint, with three confirmed offices hit belonging to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten and the American Consulate on St Kilda Road in Melbourne.
On the outside of Mr Shortern’s office, the words “Bill blood on your hands. 40,000 dead” have been written.
“You are complicit in genocide,” it states.
At the American Consulate, police have established a crime scene as cleaners were seen scrubbing the red paint off of the cracked front windows.
Some of the windows are broken and appeared to have been hit multiple times, causing cracks and even small holes in the glass.
The offices targeted include St Kilda Road in Melbourne, Main Street in Mordialloc, Hall Street in Moonee Ponds and High Street Northcote.
“Join us as we take a stand against the weapons industrial complex in Naarm,” the protest flyer said.
“As Rafah burns, we shine a light on the complicity of the ALP government and the corporations that facilitate genocide.”
It’s understood that police and the Victoria Department of Parliamentary Services issued a warning to electorate offices on Thursday.
The warning states the agencies “have become aware of public advertising calling for a co-ordinated day of national protest action … directed specifically at Labor MPs at state and federal level”.
“There is potential for federal and state electorate offices located in close proximity to each other to be concurrently or sequentially impacted,” the warning reads.
“In light of this information, please take precautions to safeguard both yourself and electorate office staff.”
It comes after federal Labor and the Coalition both opposed the Greens motion in the House of Representatives to recognise Palestinian statehood on Wednesday morning.
Just five MPs voted for the motion, including four lower house Greens MPs and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, with 80 opposing.
Protest organisers released a list of all the lower house MPs that voted against the motion.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
