Unmasked: Vandals who allegedly destroyed street art in Melbourne’s iconic Hosier Lane and filmed their rampage are revealed in new footage
- Vandals sprayed over iconic graffiti in Melbourne lane-way on Saturday night
- CCTV footage showed alleged vandals walking the city with fire extinguishers
- It is unclear what prompted the attack but social media is awash with theories
New footage has emerged of vandals who allegedly destroyed street art in Melbourne's iconic Hosier Lane.
Eight young men with face masks and paint-filled fire extinguishers sprayed over iconic graffiti in the Melbourne lane-way at 7.25pm on Saturday as a drone flew above them.
Police released CCTV footage that showed the alleged vandals walking around the inner-city brandishing the makeshift paint guns.
CCTV footage showed the alleged vandals walking around the inner-city brandishing the makeshift paint guns
It is believe the group fled the scene towards Melbourne Park, south of the CBD.
Dashcam footage also showed the men walking on to the Batman Ave Bridge from Flinders St minutes after the alleged attack, without their masks The Herald Sun reported.
Share this article
It remains unclear what prompted the attack, with many in the underworld street art scene believing it was a swipe at the lane-way’s commercial appeal.
Street artists see the brazen attack as an act of 'reclamation' of a space which has become 'too commercial'.
Dashcam footage also showed the men walking on to the Batman Ave Bridge from Flinders St minutes after the alleged attack
CCTV footage shows the men in face masks valdalising the iconic Melbourne lane way
Once targeted by graffiti artists looking to boost their street reputations, Hosier Lane has now become a selfie spot for suburban Melburnians and tourists.
Melbourne street magazine Acclaim Magazine even went so far as to call for it to be torn down.
'Hosier lane is not real, it's a toothless tiger, beautiful to look at and without any threat – and it needs to go,' it stated in an undated article.
'The current state of Hosier is appalling – quality work doesn't exist or disappears instantly, while swarms of paid street art tours and an endless sea of tourists and flood the street.'
The alleged vandals used fire extinguishers filled with paint to destroy the famous street art
As the group stormed the cobblestones with makeshift spray guns, onlookers could be seen filming the commotion rather than trying to stop it
Social media is awash with other theories.
Some Twitter users speculated the vandals were covering up pro-Hong Kong or pro-Taiwan art in the lane.
Twitter user Michael R asked: 'Was there any pro Hong Kong art, or anti-CCP art still on display when Hosier Land was vandalised? If so, the leader of these "vandals" might be a Chinese agent'.
Another named Frank added: 'There is (was?) a lot of pro Hong Kong messages and Tiananmen Square references. I suspect that local agents of the Chinese Govt. are behind the cleansing. Their paranoia knows no bounds.'
Eight men allegedly sprayed over iconic graffiti in the Melbourne lane-way on Saturday as a drone (pictured) flew above them
Other Twitter users speculated the vandals were covering up pro-Hong Kong or pro-Taiwan art in the lane
But Chinese-Australian artist Baudico, who claims he is 'hunted' by the CCP for his anti-government artwork, rubbished the theory, saying the vandals were just youngsters messing around.
'Just west kids protest game,' he wrote on Twitter.
Hong Kong and Taiwan, regions with a level of independence from China, have long been at odds with the Chinese Communist Party.
Last year huge protests flared up in Hong Kong over a new law that would allow suspects to be extradited to the mainland.
Other Twitter users said the conspiracy theory was 'racist' because it is only based on the appearance of the vandals.
Before: Hosier Lane was covered with vibrant portraits before it was attacked by vandals
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp described the attack as 'an extreme act of vandalism' in a statement with police
'Maybe one was Chinese one was white... I wouldn't jump to conclusions... sounds super racist,' wrote Aluna Kay.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp previously told Daily Mail Australia the attack is 'not in keeping with the spirit of Hosier Lane'.
'We see this act as vandalism particularly given the damage they've done to the pavement and cobblestones.'
Ms Capp described the attack as 'an extreme act of vandalism' in a statement with police.
'It has caused damage to the city of Melbourne and private property,' she said.
'The random nature in the way the young people used fire extinguishers filled with paint to cover street art that we value is unacceptable.'
Street cleaners can be seen washing paint off cobbled streets of Hosier Lane on Monday morning
