St Kilda war memorial left defaced for days leaves local residents outraged

Thoughtless vandals have left dirty clothing and cigarette butts strewn around a St Kilda memorial dedicated to the fallen of World War I.

St Kilda war memorial strewn with clothing and cigarette butts for more than a week, images: supplied

A war memorial on St Kilda’s busy foreshore was left covered in dirty clothes and rubbish for days, causing outrage among locals and veterans.

The war memorial on Jacka Boulevard, at a popular access point to St Kilda Beach and Catani Gardens, was left uncleaned for more than five days, with photographs of the mess supplied to Leader.

St Kilda war memorial strewn with clothing and cigarette butts, image: supplied

Jack Morris, who regularly walks past the memorial said it was”disgusting” and that people should treat it as a “wardrobe or bedroom floor”.

“It really is outrageous that these things are happening more and more,” he said.

Despite the clothing being cleared away in the early morning light on July 21, remnants of anti-social activity were still present on the memorial.

Butted out cigarettes were scattered across the ground and the base of the pillar, and puddles of unknown liquid substances surrounded the structure, which was erected after World War I.

A spokesman from RSL Victoria said it was “disappointing” behaviour.

“The presence of war memorials are important reminders of the service and sacrifice given so that we can enjoy our freedoms today,” the spokesman said.

“It is disappointing to learn of any war memorial being disrespected in this manner.”

City of Port Phillip Mayor Marcus Pearl said the council acted swiftly when told of the mess.

“We were disappointed to find one of our memorials covered with clothing and council officers quickly restored the memorial to its proper state,” he said.

Cr Pearl said memorials played an important role in the social makeup of the bayside area.

“Our memorials and monuments record and reflect the significant stories of people, places and events that have shaped the identity of our communities,” he said.

“These memorials provide a tangible civic focus for commemorating events and people associated with the City of Port Phillip, and for keeping alive the intangible memories and knowledge of the heritage associated with this municipality.

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind people to be respectful to our memorials and historical monuments. We encourage residents to report any inappropriate use to our ASSIST hotline or Snap Send Solve.”

The St Kilda RSL sub-branch was contacted for comment.

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