US Consulate Damaged in Overnight Violence
The U.S. Consulate in North Sydney, Australia, was vandalized early Monday morning when an individual using a sledgehammer attacked the building’s reinforced glass windows, and red upside-down triangles—symbols with dual interpretations related to Palestinian resistance and the militant group Hamas—were spray-painted on its facade. This incident, occurring around 3:00 a.m., coincided with a public holiday in New South Wales for the King’s Birthday, ensuring that the consulate was closed at the time. This is part of a series of similar vandalism acts against U.S. consulates, with a previous incident in Melbourne and others targeting political figures in Australia, reflecting heightened tensions and political discourse around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Australian officials, including the Prime Minister and New South Wales Premier, condemned these acts, calling for a return to respectful debate and highlighting the ineffectiveness of such vandalism in advancing any cause.
By George C. Upper III June 10, 2024 at 8:16am
Surveillance video showed an individual wearing a dark hoodie wield a small sledgehammer against the reinforced glass windows of the U.S. Consulate in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, around 3:00 a.m. Monday.
In addition, two upside-down red triangles were apparently spray-painted on the building’s front, The Associated Press reported.
Those red triangles are “seen by some as a symbol of Palestinian resistance but by others as supporting the militant group Hamas,” the AP noted.
The North Sydney consulate was the first American Foreign Service post in Australia, dating back to 1836, according to the U.S. State Department.
The consulate was closed on Monday anyway because of a holiday in New South Wales, the AP said. June 10 is the official date for the celebration of the King’s Birthday in 2024.
The facility was expected to reopen as normal on Tuesday, according to the outlet.
It wasn’t the first time that the consulate had been disfigured by pro-Hamas protesters.
“The consulate was sprayed with graffiti in April, including the words ‘Freee (sic) Gaza,’” the AP reported. “The U.S. Consulate in Melbourne was vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists on May 31.”
Australia’s prime minister called for a return to “respectful politican debate and discourse,” according to the AP.
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“People are traumatized by what is going on in the Middle East, particularly those with relatives in either Israel or in the Palestinian Occupied Territories,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a news conference, the outlet reported.
“And I just say, again, reiterate my call to turn the heat down and measures such as painting the U.S. consulate do nothing to advance the cause of those who have committed what is, of course, a crime to damage property,” he added.
The state’s premier agreed, saying that most Australians disapprove of vandalism.
“We can make our point in this country without resorting to violence or malicious behavior,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told the AP.
Axios noted that the incident was the second at a U.S. diplomatic facility in less than a week.
“A gunman opened fire last week at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, though his motive was not immediately clear,” the outlet reported.
Australia’s Sky News noted that several Australian government offices had been vandalized recently.
“It came after a recent spate of vandalism targeting government MPs, including Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s office in West Fairfield and Premier Chris Minns’ Kogarah office, each spraypainted with the word ‘murderer’ in an apparent protest against the war in Gaza,” Sky News reported.
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