Two women have been charged after allegedly vandalising a veterans’ organisation in Melbourne.
Police allegedly caught the women defacing the Heidelberg RSL at 1.45am on Saturday.
When the alleged offenders, aged 22 and 20, spotted police, they ran on foot in opposite directions, police have said.
Officers split up and pursued the pair.
After a short foot chase, both women were arrested.
They have been charged with criminal damage, marking graffiti on property without consent, and possessing graffiti implement to mark graffiti.
The pair are scheduled to appear before the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on May 19.
A statement from the Reservoir RSL said the “hateful” graffiti – including “anti-veteran, anti-Australian Defence Force and deeply offensive slurs” – was an act “to deliberately target a veterans’ organisation on ANZAC Day”.
“It’s disgraceful,” the statement read.
“It was clearly intended to cause hurt, division and distress to veterans, serving members, their families, and the broader community who gather each year to honour sacrifice and service.”
Two other vandalism incidents occurred overnight, which police believe may be linked.
A passerby reported additional vandalism to the walls of the venue on the corner of Spring and Cleveland streets just after midnight.
The third graffiti incident was discovered at the RSL in Fawkner in Lorne Street at 5am on Saturday.
Police believe the graffiti at that location was sprayed sometime between April 24 and 25.
An investigation is ongoing to determine whether the Fawkner incident is linked.