Premier Daniel Andrews Noble Park office targeted by graffiti vandals

Daniel Andrews has warned graffiti will not stop the virus after his suburban Melbourne office was vandalised for the second time in weeks.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says graffiti will not stop the virus after his electorate office in suburban Melbourne was vandalised again.

Police are investigating after vandals sprayed the Premier’s Noble Park office with the words “sack Dan” in red on the front window.

It’s the second time in three weeks the his Princes Highway office has been targeted, but this time the vandals also smashed the front window.

Photos of the front of the office shows the words “sack Dan” graffitied twice on the window in red, with half a brick left on the footpath nearby.

Mr Andrews told reporters on Thursday that none of his staff were put in any danger, and they were all doing fine after the latest attack.

“What I’d say to those individuals and all Victorians is graffiti doesn’t work against this virus, it simply doesn’t,” he said.

Police collect evidence after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’s electorate office was vandalised. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

“(The staff) are very committed to working hard for the people of Mulgrave, and they’re very committed to getting on and getting their job done.”

Phil, a caller to 3AW radio, first reported the incident just before 6am on Thursday and said the window was smashed but not fully broken.

Photos show significant cracks in the right side of the window.

Victoria Police said it was investigating the criminal damage incident.

A crime scene had been established outside the Premier’s office on Thursday morning.

Detectives arrived about 7am and were spotted bagging evidence, including the brick that appears to have been used to smash the window.

At least three marked police vehicles were also at the scene.

Mr Andrews say graffiti won’t stop the violence. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

The Premier's electoral office has been vandalised overnight. Caller reports the windows have been smashed and graffitied. pic.twitter.com/oFTqd8EKNk

— 3AW Breakfast (@RossAndRussel) October 14, 2020

“Investigators were told an office building on Princes Highway was graffitied and damaged by an unidentified person,” Sergeant Megan Stefanec said.

“An investigation in under way, and police urge any witnesses or anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”

It comes after the words “tyrant”, “liar”, “scum”, “lackey” and “CCP” were scrawled in red on the Premier’s office on September 25.

It’s believed “CCP” stands for Chinese Communist Party.

BREAKING: Daniel Andrews office vandalised overnight... brick on the ground and plenty of CCTV cameras. Live on @TheTodayShow in a moment @9NewsAUS @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/VX6EUSYAxH

— Izabella Staskowski (@IzaStaskowski) October 14, 2020

A brick on the footpath outside Mr Andrews’s electorate office. Picture: Twitter

That graffiti was quickly removed from the front window of the office but not before it was captured by a photographer.

The Premier has come under repeated attacks from graffiti vandals this year during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Andrews’s electorate office on Thursday morning. Picture: Twitter

A cleaner removes paint from a window at Mr Andrews’s office on September 25. Picture: David Crosling

In early September anti-Semitic graffiti targeting Mr Andrews was sprayed on a road in Donvale in Melbourne’s outer east.

The vandalism read “Stop Dan Andrews”, with a Star of David replacing the “a” in Dan and a swastika for the final “s”.

In June a man was arrested after allegedly spraying “one belt one road to hell” on the footpath outside the Premier’s parliamentary office in Treasury Place in Melbourne’s CBD.

The alleged stencilled graffiti attack was in reference to his involvement in China’s Belt and Road initiative.

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