WARNING: distressing content
A Welcome to Country sign has been vandalised with racist graffiti in Victoria.
The Welcome to Wotjobaluk Country sign, which stands on the intersection of the Sea Lake/Robinvale Calder Highway, was discovered damaged and vandalised on Wednesday morning by a Traditional Owner.
The graffiti reads “K*** C**NS”.
The sign was installed through a partnership between the Victorian Department of Transport and Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BGLC).
BGLC Board and staff were alerted to the vandalism shortly after it was discovered, and are “deeply saddened, frustrated and hurt” by the “blatant racist attack”.
In a statement, the organisation said that the words were “deliberately used as a call to action for violence against Aboriginal People” and caused reliving of “past traumas that continue to affect the wellbeing of our people today”.
The sign was sprayed with violent racist graffiti this week. Source: Supplied
"Racism has no place on Wotjobaluk Country. It's heart-breaking to see these disgusting words on our signage, and we don't stand for it!" Dylan Clarke, BGLC Chair said.
Wimmera Mallee has a large population of First Nations families, and the sign is one of the many in the area to articulate the significance of Country for the Traditional Owners of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagulk Peoples.
Victoria Police told NITV they are investigating the "offensive graffiti".
"The graffiti at Sea Lake-Robinvale Road was reported to police on Thursday, 28 June, and has since been removed," they said.
"There is absolutely no place in our society for racism or hate-based behaviour and Victoria Police takes all such reports seriously.
"Investigations into the incident remain ongoing."
Just last year, a group of white supremacists invaded nearby Gariwerd (Grampians) and displayed racist propaganda. Traditional Owners later conducted a cleansing ceremony.
Victoria has recently banned the public display of the Nazi Swatstika, with people who intentionally display the sign to be slapped with up to a 22 thousand dollars in fines.
"Nobody has the right to spread racism, hate or anti-Semitism," Premier Dan Andrews said.
