The U.S. consulate in Sydney was vandalized early Monday morning by a suspect wielding a sledgehammer who smashed windows and spray-painted anti-Israel graffiti on its doors. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. local time in the suburbs of Australia’s largest city, drawing condemnation from the country’s prime minister.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the incident, saying, “I would just say that people should have respectful political debate and discourse. Measures such as painting the U.S. Consulate do nothing to advance the cause of those who have committed what is of course a crime to damage property.”
Images from the scene show inverted red triangles painted on the building’s doors, a symbol used by anti-Israel protesters. According to CBC News, this symbol has also been used by Hamas to identify Israeli military targets in videos. Nine windows of the building were damaged, and the suspect remains at large.
A police spokesperson told, “CCTV has been sourced that shows a person wearing a dark-colored hoodie with their face obscured carrying what appears to be a small sledgehammer.”
A spokesperson for the consulate stated that operations inside have not been affected and that “Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police are investigating the incident.”
This is not the first time the consulate has been targeted. In April, it was sprayed with graffiti, including the words “Free Gaza.” Additionally, the U.S. Consulate in Melbourne was vandalized by anti-Israel agitators on May 31.
