Man charged after Brisbane City Hall graffitied with pro-sovereignty message

A 20-year-old Queensland man has been charged after the main entrance of Brisbane City Hall was graffitied overnight, with the incident sparking debate after a councillor posted about it on social media.

The word "SOVEREIGNTY" and the Aboriginal flag painted across City Hall. Picture: Supplied

A 20-year-old Tablelands man has been charged after Brisbane City Hall was allegedly graffitied overnight with the word ‘SOVEREIGNTY’ and the outline of the Aboriginal flag.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman confirmed City Hall was “vandalised overnight and the graffiti is being removed”.

“Council works tirelessly to keep Brisbane looking its best and senseless graffiti is both unsightly and costly to remove,” she said.

“Council is working with Queensland Police Service in relation to the matter.”

Cr Ryan Murphy (Chandler) posted a photo of the graffiti, which is written across the main entrance of City Hall off King George Square.

“Because we all know the best way to achieve an Indigenous sovereign nation is to deface a heritage listed building,” he wrote.

Under the photo, a woman posted “that inter generational trauma has to be managed with empathy and respect”.

“When people feel disowned and trivialised for their rights to their own land, they will act out,” she said.

Because we all know, the best way to achieve an indigenous sovereign nation is to deface a heritage listed building. 😢😢😢

Posted by Cr Ryan Murphy on Sunday, 19 January 2020

Cr Murphy wrote in reply that he accepted it was “a political act”.

“It’s also a criminal act and not likely to further the goals of the cause, which is why I think it’s regrettable for the person who did it, damage aside,” he wrote.

“Reconciling the evils of colonialism and dispossession doesn’t call for the balancing of the ledger through some kind of relativist tit-for-tat.”

Others commented that the graffiti was “not helpful, disgraceful” and “Terrible.... not the way to achieve anything by doing vandalism”.

Cr Murphy told Quest Community News that “vandalism is not a discourse” and it was “sad that someone felt they needed to do this to get their point across”.

Brisbane’s Eddie Synot is an Indigenous academic who helped draft the motion that Brisbane City Council recognise the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

It was unanimously supported in the council chamber after minor changes.

Mr Synot said Cr Murphy’s comments were “commendable in one respect, but they’re a little bit naive and ignorant to the reality of the situation”.

Cr Jared Cassidy (Deagon) and Eddie Synot outside City Hall after the motion to recognise the Uluru Statement from the Heart was supported by Brisbane City Council. Picture: Supplied

“If it was just about having kind relationships and this relationship where we can come together then the question is well why hasn’t it worked yet?”

“While many other people may not spray paint the side of the building, that’s an expression of frustration from Aboriginal people.”

He said this year marked 250 years since Captain Cook’s arrival in Australia.

“We have to be some of the most patient people in the country, how long we’ve been waiting for a better deal,” he said.

Mr Synot said Brisbane City Hall was also a flashpoint of long-running controversy for the sculpture above the entrance doors, The Progress of Civilisation in the State of Queensland by Daphne Mayo.

“It’s the dying race theory, Aboriginal people couldn’t keep up and are dying out,” he said.

“On one side there’s symbols of agriculture, there’s an ox, there’s these quite stoic European figures and on the other side is flora and fauna, and Aboriginal people, who are dying.”

The Progress of Civilisation in the State of Queensland by Daphne Mayo on City Hall in King George Square, Brisbane CBD. Picture: AAP/Claudia Baxter

He said there was some dispute on its meaning but that the historical archive supported that interpretation.

“It was fantastic to see them (the council) offer their support to the Uluru Statement the way they did, but those sorts of things need to be followed through with actions, and addressing that tympanum (the triangle on top of City Hall) could be one of them,” he said.

Mr Synot said that could include a plaque or educational program to explain the history or put it in context.

The 20-year-old Tablelands man has been charged with one count each of wilful damage by graffiti, possessing graffiti instruments and contravene direction.

He is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story referred to Cr Ryan Murphy (Doboy). Cr Murphy was the councillor for Doboy but is now the councillor Chandler Ward.