Another Captain Cook statue targeted in Edinburgh Gardens, Fitzroy North

A Captain Cook statue in Edinburgh Gardens has been vandalised just days after two other statues were targeted in Melbourne.

A Captain Cook statue in Edinburgh Gardens has been vandalised just days after two other statues were targeted in Melbourne.

Visitors to Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North on Sunday morning were confronted with the sawn-off statue at the Rowe St entrance to the park.

The statue has been spray-painted with red words: “Cook the Colony”.

It’s understood the vandalism occurred early on Sunday morning.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police were aware of damage to a plaque in Edinburgh Gardens.

“The plaque has been pushed over and sprayed with red paint,” the spokeswoman said.

It is yet to be established when the damage took place, and the investigation is ongoing.”

It comes just two days after a metal Captain Cook sculpture on Jacka Blvd, St Kilda, was cut from its stone base, with graffiti saying: The colony will fall”.

A Captain Cook statue has been sawn off and defaced at Edinburgh Gardens, Fitzroy North.

Police say the statue was vandalised about 3.30am on Thursday.

Vandals filmed themselves in the act and then brazenly shared the footage, which was circulating on social media on Thursday.

The Queen Victoria Monument on St Kilda Rd, near the Royal Botanical Gardens, was also sprayed with red paint on the same day.

In mid-2020, the Captain James Cook statue at Edinburgh Gardens had been targeted by vandals twice in one month.

Vandals scrawled “Murderer” over the “Captain” engraving on the front of the monument.

The words “Destroy White Supremacy” were scrawled at the base in another incident.

Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au