Seven women face criminal damage charges after allegedly defacing a statue honoring Australian women’s rights pioneer Zelda D’Aprano outside Melbourne’s Victorian Trades Hall.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. on March 6, shortly before International Women’s Day. Authorities state the group sprayed red paint on the statue and used umbrellas to obscure CCTV cameras, attempting to evade identification.
Key Suspect’s Court Appearance
Jemima Demanuele, 34, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday, facing charges of criminal damage, unauthorized graffiti on a residence, and reckless damage to a registered heritage site. Court records show she was on bail for a prior protest in Melbourne’s CBD.
Victoria Police officer Tiffany Lamesta sought to revoke her bail, describing Demanuele as an ‘unacceptable risk’ of reoffending. ‘The accused has been given bail for the last incident but is showing no respect for court orders,’ Lamesta stated. ‘Police believe the accused will continue to offend if she’s granted bail.’
Demanuele is currently on paid leave from St Vincent’s Hospital pending a Fair Work investigation. Magistrate Michelle Hodgson approved bail with strict conditions, including a prohibition from approaching within one block of Victorian Trades Hall.
‘There is no issue with protest, but it must be lawful, it must not endanger the safety and welfare of other persons and it must not cause property damage,’ Hodgson told Demanuele.
Additional Charges Against Group
Six other women, including one aged 71, have been charged with similar offenses: criminal damage, riotous behavior in a public place, and refusing to vacate after warnings. Officials report the group grew aggressive toward Trades Hall staff upon confrontation.
Images from the scene depict an apron draped on the statue inscribed with ‘Difficult woman.’
Statue’s Historical Significance
Unveiled in 2023, the statue commemorates Zelda D’Aprano, who chained herself to a government building in 1969 to demand equal pay for women. Born in Melbourne in 1928 to Jewish migrant parents, D’Aprano earned a place on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her activism.
Demanuele returns to court on Tuesday, while the other six are scheduled to appear on October 1.
