Left image via Quinn Rooney / Getty Images / Right image via Extinction Rebellion //
The protester has since released a statement explaining their actions…
The Melbourne Cup got off to a bumpy start this morning, with Racing Victoria forced to make quick repairs to the Flemington track before the day commenced commenced. The last minute efforts came about as a result 1000 litres of sludge being poured onto the track by an anonymous protester. Since then, the track has been deemed safe and races have kicked off, but the ordeal has no doubt cast a shadow over this year’s festivities.
Extinction Rebellion, an organisation that has long been against the races, has publicly endorsed the vandalism, writing online, “This morning XR was contacted by friends who had dumped 1000 litres of sludge onto Flemington Racecourse ahead of today’s Melbourne Cup activities.”
BREAKING: This morning XR was contacted by friends who had dumped 1000 liters of sludge onto Flemington Racecourse ahead of today’s Melbourne Cup activities. Footage of this and a press release are attached. @FlemingtonVRC @XRVicAus @BBCNews @7NewsMelbourne @10NewsFirstMelb pic.twitter.com/hzNv3tL4Le
— XRVicAus (@XRVicAus) November 1, 2022
Since Extinction Rebellion’s post, the protester who committed the act has since spoken out, citing their gambling history and a long list of accusations against Racing Australia for their actions, writing, “This is about Victoria Racing Club, and the toxic industry of which they are leaders, choosing to protect their racecourse against the impacts of climate change at the expense of people’s homes and livelihoods.
“Between the animal rights abuses, the timely political
donations and the well-documented impacts of gambling, the CEO’s that run this industry have a lot to answer for. Even if they can clean this sludge from their racetrack today, I hope that they pay proper
dues to the local flood victims who will be cleaning their homes for months to come.”
No arrests have yet been made, however an investigation into the vandal’s whereabouts is currently underway. Check out their full statement below
