Captain Cook statue sawn off base in Melbourne

Victoria Police are investigating "criminal damage" after a Captain Cook statue in Melbourne's Fitzroy Gardens was sawn off at the ankles.

Officers believe a group of four unknown offenders attended the gardens in Wellington Parade between 5pm on Sunday and 7am yesterday.

The statue was vandalised and toppled to the ground before footage of the incident was published online with the message: "The colony will fall."

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The video from an anonymous social media account showed the masked group using an angle grinder to cut the statue off at its ankles.

Bystanders at the scene today were enraged by the act.

"I'm pretty upset that it's knocked down," one said.

"It's part of our history. You may not agree with it but I think it's very important."

It comes just a month after two colonial monuments were targeted ahead of Australia Day.

The Captain Cook sculpture in St Kilda was also sawn off, with the words "the colony will fall" scrawled in red paint.

Melbourne University political science Professor Sarah Maddison told 9News the vandals had a "valid argument".

"It's one way of saying we've got work to do. We have conversations that still need to be had," Maddison said.

"Where political leadership is absent, I think activism is inevitable."

The Melbourne City Council is assessing the damage to the statue and whether it can be re-erected.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, with information or CCTV is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au