Authorities in Western Australia have wasted no time removing the statue of disgraced footy great Nicky Winmar from Perth’s Optus Stadium, with stunning photos showing the tribute being torn down just after he was convicted of assaulting a woman.
Workers used a crane to take down the $100,000 piece in the early hours of Sunday morning after Premier Roger Cook ordered its removal in the wake of the guilty finding in a Victorian court on Friday.
Winmar was found guilty of smashing a woman’s head against a door during a petrifying attack in northern Victoria on May 14 last year.
Cook directed VenuesWest to bring down the statue shortly after the verdict was handed down in Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
‘Violence against women is never acceptable, and it is important we send a strong message to the community,’ Cook said.
‘Following Nicky Winmar’s conviction, I’m of the firm view that it is no longer appropriate for that statue to be displayed.’
Pictured: Workers remove the statue of disgraced footy legend Nicky Winmar from Perth’s Optus Stadium under the cover of darkness on Sunday morning
The tribute was torn down after Winmar’s conviction for assaulting a woman
Former St Kilda star Winmar (pictured) smashed the woman’s head against a door during a petrifying attack in northern Victoria on May 14 last year
Cook’s call was backed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said, ‘There is no place for violence against women anywhere in Australia. I support the premier’s decision.’
Erected in 2019, the statue depicts arguably the most famous moment of Winmar’s career, when he lifted his jersey and pointed to the colour of his skin after footy fans hit him with racist abuse during a match against Collingwood in 1993.
The artwork was commissioned by the AFL and created by sculptor Louis Laumen, who told the West Australian that he was saddened by its removal but did not condone Winmar’s actions in any way.
The publication said former Western Australian Sports Minister Mick Murray was ‘devastated’ by its removal after playing a big role in having it added to the stadium.
‘I don’t condone violence. I am disappointed in Nicky,’ Murray said.
‘But that statue meant so much to so many people.’
The tribute will reportedly be placed in storage until its future is decided.
Winmar’s accuser claimed he became unexpectedly angry before he grabbed her arm, twisted it and dragged her by the hair.
Pictured: A hole in the ground where the tribute was originally placed in 2019
The $100,000 artwork will reportedly be placed in storage
The statue depicts arguably the most famous moment of Winmar’s career, when he hit back at racist abuse from the crowd (pictured) after a game against Collingwood in 1993
The woman also accused Winmar of pushing her against a wall, spitting and yelling in her face, and then bashing her head repeatedly into a wooden door.
The woman said she managed to break free and lock herself into a room, where she called triple zero.
‘I was petrified he was going to do more things to me,’ the woman said in her evidence in May.
‘I was actually fearful for my life.’
The magistrate convicted Winmar of two charges of common law assault and one count of unlawful assault, finding the prosecution had proven those offences beyond reasonable doubt.
The charges related to the allegations Winmar grabbed the woman by the arm, dragged her by the hair and hit her head against a door.
Winmar was acquitted on the fourth charge of intentionally causing injury, with Mr Huynh finding the woman’s ‘substantial pain’ fell short of the sort of injury required for the charge.
