Arabic version: تشويه نصبين تذكاريين للحرب في غرب فيكتوريا خلال شهر

According to ABC News, two war memorials in neighbouring western Victorian towns have been defaced within the past month, with a plaque stolen and graffiti sprayed on a memorial in Dobie weeks after damage was reported at Beaufort.

At Dobie, south-east of Ararat, a plaque commemorating local veterans was removed from one of two rocks forming the memorial. The rock that held the plaque was spray-painted with an Aboriginal flag and the words “land back”, while the concrete plinth was marked in red with “lest we forget the frontier wars”.

Ararat Rural City Council mayor Bob Sanders said the community was devastated. He said both rocks had been badly defaced, plants surrounding the memorial had been ripped out and some trees were damaged. The council has begun cleaning work and says it will remove the vandalism as soon as possible.

In Beaufort, Victoria Police is investigating graffiti at the town’s 100-year-old memorial. Beaufort RSL president Donald Carnes said slogans painted on the monument included “death to Australia”, “death to the ADF”, “land back” and “blood on your hands”. Police said Beaufort Memorial Park was graffitied between July 25 and July 26, and that the paint has since been removed while the investigation continues.