Premier slams 'senseless' attempt to remove head of Captain Cook statue in Melbourne

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has called out the "senseless vandalism" of a Captain Cook statue in Melbourne after offenders tried to remove its head, just weeks after it was reinstalled.

Security patrols alerted police to the damage in Fitzroy Gardens about 2am.

Police believe two vandals spray-painted Captain Cook's cottage, before attempting to remove the head of the statue, which stands in the gardens, with an angle grinder.

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Allan said there was no place for "senseless vandalism" in the community.

"We've simply got to come back to some central elements of respect, respect in our community," Allan said.

She said the government would work with the City of Melbourne on any restoration works needed for the statue.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the vandalism was wrong regardless of one's opinion of the statue's colonial past.

"While there are a range of views on statues and memorials, each time a monument is damaged, it's ultimately the ratepayer footing the bill – and that is unacceptable," he said.

The statue was previously sawn off at the ankles and vandalised a year ago.

The bronze statue was repaired and returned nearly two weeks ago.

Last year, two colonial monuments were targeted ahead of Australia Day, with the Captain Cook sculpture in St Kilda also sawn off, with the words "the colony will fall" scrawled in red paint.

Detectives have secured nearby CCTV in an attempt to identify those involved.

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