Historic Windsor statue defaced on Anzac Day

Hawkesbury Police are calling on the community for information after a statue of Lachlan Macquarie in McQuade Park was covered in red paint and words including 'no pride in genocide' during an Anzac Day dawn service.

While details of the act are still being obtained, it was believed to have been done sometime between 6 and 7am, likely during the service. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation online and in military circles. Mayor Sarah McMahon expressed her anger at the move, with the Richmond RAAF base in close proximity to the statue.

“We are a military community here in the Hawkesbury and to have this done on a day of such national and local significance to me is appalling,” she said.

“I expect the police will do their job thoroughly.”

Council crews had attended to clean up after the dawn service had concluded - although reports from the scene indicate those efforts have only achieved moderate success in removing the paint so far.

"The services of our specialist graffiti contractor will be required over the coming days," they said.

It's not the first time the statue has been the subject to something like this, with a previous occurrence on Australia Day, 2017. The statue was commissioned in 1994.

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