Pro-Australia Day graffiti wave hits Woolies at Victoria Point and Cleveland

Graffiti outside Woolworths stores at Victoria Point and Cleveland on Brisbane’s bayside are now part of a police investigation into pro-Australia Day vandalism. See the video

An Ormiston man, charged with wilful damage at an inner-city Brisbane Woolworths store on Monday, has been charged with two more counts of wilful damage after a police investigation on Brisbane’s bayside.

The man, 40, was charged with wilful damage in relation to incidents at Victoria Point and Cleveland, both believed to have occurred on Saturday, January 13.

Police started investigating the possible links between pro-Australia Day graffiti outside the Woolworths stores on Brisbane’s bayside following an alleged vandalism and a flare being detonated inside an inner-city Brisbane store early Monday.

Workmen at a construction site behind a 7-Eleven service station at Victoria Point notified police early on Monday of the graffiti in red spray-paint covering the fence.

“Boycott Woolies. Now or Never. Boycott Woolworths. Boycott Aldi. Aussie Aussie”, was sprayed across the fence opposite the Victoria Point Shopping Centre, which is anchored by Woolworths but also includes Coles.

It was the second incident of anti-Woolworths graffiti in Redland since police were called to a Woolworths store in Cleveland where reports of similar graffiti spray-painting were made.

Woolworths said it was also investigating the latest vandalism incidents at both Victoria Point and Cleveland but was unable to comment further and was unsure of the exact time frames of the crimes at the Redland sites.

Anti-Woolworths graffiti in red paint at Victoria Point, has triggered a police investigation. Pictures and video: Judith Kerr

Police also declined to comment further on progress of the Redland investigations after initially charging the Ormiston man with wilful damage and wilful damage by graffiti in connection to the Teneriffe incident on Tuesday morning.

Police said a flare was allegedly set off at the entrance of the Teneriffe store in Commercial Rd, triggering a fire alarm.

The graffiti on the outside of the Teneriffe store read: “5 days 26 Jan Aussie Oi Oi Woolies F*** U” and the phrase “Boycott Woolies”.

The man is expected to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court next month.

Woolworths refused to comment on when the graffiti at Victoria Point on Cleveland-Redland Bay Rd would be removed.

Originally published as Pro-Australia Day graffiti wave hits Woolies at Victoria Point and Cleveland