JAMES COOK Statue Destruction Sparks RAW Anger In Australia’S Culture WAR
— A city council in Melbourne, Australia, has decided not to fix a vandalized statue of British explorer James Cook. The monument was broken and covered with anti-colonial graffiti after Australia Day, which some activists now call “Invasion Day.” Critics blame Cook for Britain’s settlement of Australia and have targeted his statue many times.
Mayor Stephen Jolly said the council voted against spending $9,700 to repair the statue again. He claimed the choice was about saving taxpayer money, not giving in to activists or picking sides in culture battles.
“It costs us AU$15,000 every time we fix it and it keeps getting destroyed or defaced,” Jolly told Australian Broadcasting Corp. The damaged monument is now sitting in storage as arguments over national history grow louder.
Many Australians see this as another sign that radical activists are erasing history instead of learning from it — leaving communities divided over what should be remembered and honored on public land.