Controversy Surrounds Vandalized James Cook Statue in Sydney

A statue of British explorer James Cook in Sydney was vandalized with paint and damage shortly before Australia Day, raising tensions around the holiday known as Invasion Day by Indigenous Australians. The defacement has sparked wider discussions about the country's national day and its impact on Indigenous communities.

A statue of British explorer James Cook in Sydney was vandalized with red paint and damage just days before Australia's national day, officials confirmed on Friday. Authorities noted it was the second incident of such vandalism within a year. Police have initiated an investigation and discovered several items near the site.

According to local Councillor Carolyn Martin, the perpetrators appeared to have used a ladder, which was left behind, to scale a fence and access the statue, desecrating it with paint and damaging parts of its structure. "It's an absolute mess," Martin commented in an interview with 2GB radio.

The incident comes amidst growing tensions around Australia Day, referred to as Invasion Day by many of the nation's Indigenous people, for whom the day symbolizes colonial oppression. Despite protests, recent polls show increasing public support to retain January 26 as the national holiday, highlighting shifting public sentiment on this contentious date.

(With inputs from agencies.)