The Indian Consulate in Melbourne suffered an act of vandalism and the High Commission in Canberra continued to address Australian authorities about the incident on Friday.
Such defacement incidents at the Melbourne Consulate premises occurred during past periods of international tension according to reporting from The Australia Today.
Victoria Police personnel identified graffiti at the main entrance of the diplomatic property shortly after 1 am on Thursday morning.
"Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday and Thursday. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing,” a police spokesperson said.
On Friday the High Commission contacted Australian authority officials about the situation.
Reports about the vandalism of the Consulate General of India premises in Melbourne were communicated to Australian authorities. The Indian embassy reports that it has taken every essential measure to protect its diplomatic sites and personnel based in the territory of the country.
The police department is as yet unable to confirm if they have identified any suspects from the Thursday occurrence.
Attendants requested community members to report all relevant knowledge that might aid the investigation according to the police spokesperson.
The incident has reawakened fears among members of the Indian-Australian community who feel frustrated because targeted attacks on Hindu temples and Indian government facilities throughout Melbourne continue to rise in numbers according to a local news portal.
The Indian-Australian community member stated that these vandalized places of worship serve as intimidation messages toward the Indian population.
The Victoria government led by Premier Jacinta Allan enacted new non-vilification legislation in 2022 to enhance punishments against acts containing religious or racial prejudice.
The Indian-Australian community maintains their doubts about slow reactions and uneven enforcement despite these incidents receiving different treatment from authorities when comparing them with cases happening within other population groups.
“This is not about politics. It's about safety, respect, and equal protection under the law,” Australia Today said, quoting a community member.