Two historic colonial monuments in Melbourne’s Flagstaff Gardens were vandalised overnight. Police believe machinery was used to topple the Pioneer Monument, a sandstone obelisk built in 1871. The monument was broken into pieces and spray-painted with the words “land back” and “death to Australia” in red paint. An inverted red triangle was also painted on it. Another monument nearby, the Separation Memorial, was defaced with red paint as well. The Separation Memorial was created in 1950 to mark Victoria’s separation from New South Wales. Police said the vandalism occurred between 10pm Wednesday and 6am Thursday. A crime scene was set up and investigations are ongoing. Workers cleaned most of the paint and removed damaged stones by Thursday morning. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan called the act “a disgrace” and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. She said, “The groups who continue to commit these crimes must face the full force of the law.” Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the council is working with police. He said on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne, “This sort of behaviour will not and cannot be tolerated in Melbourne.” He called the vandals “idiots” for defacing a monument celebrating democracy and rights. Statues of Australia’s colonial past have faced vandalism in Melbourne before, especially near Australia Day on January 26. Earlier this month, a Captain Cook statue was sawn off at the ankles and spray-painted with “The colony will fall.” On January 22, a national day of mourning was held for victims of a terror attack in Sydney. Allan said, “Even on a day about love and unity, these people can’t help but introduce hate and destruction.” Reece added that security around statues had been increased with fencing and cameras ahead of Australia Day, but Flagstaff Gardens had no such measures during the vandalism. He promised a review and more security steps at monuments across Melbourne.