Missing King George V Statue Head Seen Burning on Barbecue in Video

A beheaded statue of King George V is seen in Kings Domain, Melbourne, Australia on June 10, 2024. AAP Image/Rachael Ward

Six months after the head of the King George V statue went missing in Melbourne, footage has emerged showing the severed head being burned at what appears to be an Australia Day barbecue.

The video, posted on Instagram by activist groups Whistleblowers, Activists and Communities Alliance and Disrupt Wars, shows an Australian flag in the background as the statue’s head is engulfed in flames.

Accompanying captions reads, “Throw another king on the barbie! #notourking #thecolonywillfall #invasionday #alwayswasalwayswillbe #abolishaustraliaday #resist #decolonise #landback.”

Another post added: “Cooking with king. Hot tips for roasting.”

A spokesperson for Disrupt Wars said the video was sent to them anonymously, along with a note stating, “We will BBQ a monarch every year on Jan. 26 until Australia [Day] is abolished.”

Authorities Continue Search for Missing Head

Victoria Police told The Epoch Times that the video does not provide enough detail to determine when or where the incident took place.

Meanwhile, authorities are still investigating the missing statue head, which was taken in June 2024 from Melbourne’s Kings Domain.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece expressed concern over the ongoing vandalism of public monuments, noting ratepayers ultimately bear the cost of repairs.

“While there are a range of views on statues and memorials in Melbourne, defacing or damaging city assets will not be tolerated,” he told reporters.

He added that restoring the King George V statue is a complex process, and council resources would be better spent on community projects rather than repairing vandalised monuments. 

Wave of Statue Vandalism in Victoria

The beheading of the King George V statue is part of a broader wave of attacks on colonial-era monuments.

Beginning 2024 saw statues of Captain James Cook in Fitzroy Gardens and St Kilda sawn off at the ankles, while a statue of Queen Victoria at Queen Victoria Gardens was doused in red paint and graffiti.

The remnants of a Captain Cook statue in St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 25, 2024. AAP Image/Diego Fedele

Another Captain Cook monument at Edinburgh Gardens was also vandalised over the Australia Day long weekend.

A video posted online showed a person wearing a high-vis jacket sawing off a statue’s head before another individual spray-painted graffiti over the damaged figure.

The attacks coincided with Victoria’s King’s Birthday public holiday.

Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the acts, calling them “disgraceful” and vowing to work with councils to restore the damaged monuments.

“Let’s remember what Australia Day is about—a day of both reflection and celebration. We should respect differing views, but not allow them to lead to senseless vandalism,” she said. “It’s time to call an end to this division.”