Colonel Light Statue in North Adelaide targeted by vandals
Vandals have targeted a statue of Adelaide’s founding father for the second time in two days – and Premier Steven Marshall has had enough.
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A STATUE of Adelaide’s founding father has been attacked by vandals for the second time in an attack that has been described as “senseless”, “pointless” and “utterly unacceptable”.
Less than 24 hours after Adelaide City Council removed graffiti from Colonel William Light’s statue on Montefiore Hill in North Adelaide yesterday, tags were scrawled over the iconic memorial overnight.
Graffiti has also been found at the Boer War Memorial in front of Government House.
The tags, which appear to relate to the Black Lives Matter Movement, included ‘no pride in genocide’ and ‘death to Australia’.
Premier Steven Marshall said vandalism was not the way to express frustration on current issues.
“(It is) completely and utterly unacceptable,” he said.
“I mean, Aboriginal men fought in the Boer War - it is completely unacceptable, disturbing and will not be tolerated.”
Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor was disappointed to see the vandalism again, and said the council’s graffiti team were aware of the incident.
“The defacing of the statue of Colonel William Light is senseless and pointless,” Ms Verschoor said.
“Light holds a very special place in our history as the planner of our city.
“Defacing any public property is not an intelligent way to deal with our present or our past.”
Verschoor’s deputy, Cr Alexander Hyde, called the vandals “cowardly”.
“The City of Adelaide was the first capital city in the nation to form a reconciliation committee so we can work to right the wrongs of the past, but those injustices were not committed by Colonel Light,” Cr Hyde said.
SA Police are investigating both incidents.
Under council policy, graffiti is removed within 24 hours.
Many statues linked to colonial oppression and slavery have been vandalised in the United States and United Kingdom in recent days – although in some cases protesters have targeted historical figures who fought against racial prejudice.
Cr Anne Moran reported graffiti on Light’s statue yesterday, calling the act “foolish dribble” and “idiotic”, while the State Government “condemned” the behaviour.
SOS Blak Australia SA Action Group community member and Black Lives Matter Adelaide protest co-host Natasha Wanganeen yesterday told The Advertiser she did not support vandalism and was unaware of the offender.
However, she continues her call to have Light’s statue removed and replaced with an indigenous person or people who have fought for indigenous rights.
Mr Marshall said there were no plans to remove the statues.