An hours-long stand-off continues between police and a vandal who has abseiled down a concrete tower of a prominent Melbourne bridge and spray-painted an infamous graffiti character.
A security alarm alerted authorities about 2:30am that the man had accessed the 140-metre tower in Melbourne’s Docklands and spraying the Pam the Bird symbol, along with offensive words.
Police have closed one southbound lane of the bridge that connects the Tullamarine Freeway and CityLink toll road to the West Gate Freeway, which will affect thousands of vehicles during the morning peak commute.
Speed has been reduced on the busy roadway.
Pam the Bird has been spray-painted down a tower of the Bolte Bridge. (ABC News)
The social media account of the original Pam the Bird creator includes footage taken from the top of the tower and of police cars on the bridge and wharf below.
But police have been unable to confirm whether the trespasser is the Pam the Bird creator.
The trespasser is still at the top of the tower.
“A man has scaled the bridge and remains in a restricted area on the eastern tower,” a police spokesperson said.
“He is refusing to follow police direction and come down.”
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The spokesperson said there was no threat to the public or road users.
“There are a significant number of police resources in the area, including uniformed members and water-police units,” the spokesperson said.
“Police are currently working to get the man down safely.”
A trespasser climbs over the top of the tower of the Bolte Bridge in the early hours of the morning. (ABC News)
People contacting 774 ABC Melbourne have expressed mixed opinions about Pam the Bird, with some supporting street art and others angry at the vandalism to property and the cost of today’s police response.
Dean Sunshine is a documenter and curator of street art.
He said vandals should not be confused with street artists.
“Graffiti is done without permission, street art is usually curated by councils or by corporates or by people who just want to have a nice, big, pretty face or whatever on their building.”
He said Melbourne’s street art culture had become commercialised.
“And, for me, it’s a little bit boring. We peaked in about 2012, 2014 in Melbourne and we were known as the biggest city of street art in the world.
“Now it’s sort of gone into muralism, which is all just corporate, council and government-paid murals, which I don’t think has the essence of that sub-culture.”
