The US consulate and several Victorian MPs have been vandalized in an attack led by pro-Palestinian activists who have promised a national day of action.
Police are investigating the incident and allege it occurred at 4am on Friday.
The offices were covered in red paint, with three affected offices confirmed to belong to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten, and the US consulate on St Kilda Road in Melbourne.
The vandalized office of Attorney General Mark Dreyfus in Mordialloc
The office of Attorney General Mark Dreyfus (pictured) was among the vandalized objects.
Bill Shorten’s Moonee Ponds office has been vandalized
Outside Mr Shortern’s office, the words “Bill blood on your hands”. ‘40,000 deaths have been written’.
“You are complicit in the genocide,” he says.
Target offices include St Kilda Road in Melbourne, Main Street in Mordialloc, Hall Street in Moonee Ponds and High Street Northcote.
“Join us in taking a stand against the weapons industrial complex in Naarm,” the protest flyer said.
“As Rafah burns, we shine a light on the complicity of the ALP government and the corporations that facilitate the genocide.”
Disrupt Wars, a pro-Palestinian organisation, said protesters will “peacefully” attack “cowardly” Labor MPs.
Police and the Victorian Department of Parliamentary Services are understood to have issued a warning to electoral offices on Thursday.
The warning states that the agencies “have become aware of public advertising calling for a co-ordinated day of national protest action… specifically targeting Labor MPs at state and federal level”.
“There is a possibility that federal and state election offices located in close proximity to each other could be affected simultaneously or sequentially,” the warning reads.
“In light of this information, please take precautions to protect yourself and election office staff.”
It comes after the federal Labor Party and the Coalition opposed the Greens’ motion in the House of Representatives to recognize Palestinian statehood on Wednesday morning.
Only five MPs voted in favor of the motion, including four lower house Greens MPs and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, with 80 against.
Protest organizers published a list of all lower house deputies who voted against the motion.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
