The Indian Consulate in Melbourne, Australia, was vandalised, with graffiti found at the front entrance of the Consulate building located at 344 St Kilda Road on Thursday. The Indian High Commission in Canberra raised the issue as it said in a social media post, "The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the country."
A police spokesperson shared the details of the incident, saying, "Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 April. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing."
This is not the first anti-India incident in Australia, as in 2023, shortly after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit, flags were found tied to the Indian Consulate in Brisbane. In another incident, miscreants defaced the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Sydney, as reported by the BBC.
The Consulate premises in Melbourne have previously been the site of similar provocations, with slogans defacing the premises in past years during periods of heightened international tension, The Australia Today reported. Victoria Police said graffiti was discovered at the front entrance of the diplomatic premises around 1:00 am early Thursday.
"Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday and Thursday. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing,” a police spokesperson said. The High Commission in a post on X on Friday said it raised the issue with Australian authorities.
"The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the country," the post said.
Police have not confirmed whether any suspects have been identified in the Thursday incident. Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward, the police spokesperson said. The act has reignited concerns within the Indian-Australian community which has expressed frustration over a growing pattern of targeted incidents involving Hindu temples and Indian government establishments across Melbourne, the news portal said.
“It’s not just graffiti - it’s a message of intimidation aimed at our community,” an Indian-Australian said, adding that repeated attacks on places of religious and cultural significance were deeply distressing. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan's government passed anti-vilification laws this year to strengthen penalties for acts motivated by hate or religious bias.
However, members of the Indian-Australian community continue to raise concerns over perceived slow responses and inconsistent enforcement, especially when compared to responses to similar incidents involving other communities.
“This is not about politics. It’s about safety, respect, and equal protection under the law,” Australia Today said, quoting a community member.
(With inputs from agencies)