The prime minister of Australia has condemned the vandalism on the United States consulate in Sydney.
Around 3 A.M. local time, a person in a dark hoodie used a sledgehammer to smash nine holes into the building’s reinforced glass. Additionally, a symbol of the Palestinian resistance – two inverted red triangles – was painted on the facade. The consulate was closed on June 10 for a public holiday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked activists to have “respectful political debate and discourse” and to “turn the heat down” amid tensions over the Israel-Palestine war.
“People are traumatized by what is going on in the Middle East, particularly those with relatives in either Israel or in the Palestinian Occupied Territories,” Albanese told reporters, per NPR. “And I just say, again, reiterate my call to turn the heat down and 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.”
Nine windows in total were damaged and the perpetrator has not been arrested.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns denounced the attack on the consulate.
“We can make our point in this country without resorting to violence or malicious behavior," said Minns, per Fox News.
The U.S. consulate in Sydney was previously spray painted with the words “Freee (sic) Gaza” in April while the consulate in Melbourne was vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists on May 31.
The U.S. State Department calls Australia a “vital ally, partner, and friend.”
“The United States and Australia maintain a robust relationship underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities. Economic, academic, and people-to-people ties are vibrant and strong,” states the federal agency. “The U.S.-Australia alliance is an anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. Both countries share a strong interest in maintaining freedom of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea, including in the South China Sea.”
The Sydney consulate is not the only American diplomatic outpost to be the site of conflict in recent weeks.
A gunman was arrested in Lebanon after a shootout outside of the United States embassy on June 5.
“The attack took place as tensions simmered in the tiny Mediterranean country, where months of fighting between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops has displaced thousands along the border, following years of political deadlock and economic hardship,” reports AP News.
In April, the U.S. embassy in Haiti was partially evacuated after political instability and gang violence swept the country.
