Nicky Winmar’s statue is removed from outside Optus Stadium in Perth after the former AFL player is convicted of assaulting a woman. Multiple outlets report that crews arrive early on Sunday, before dawn, and pull down the bronze statue that had been erected at the stadium. The removal follows Winmar’s conviction earlier in the month for unlawful assault and common law assault, with ABC reporting three counts of unlawful assault and common law assault. The ABC also reports that Winmar is removed from the AFL Hall of Fame.
The statue had been linked to Winmar’s role in AFL history related to racism, and ABC notes the removal happens during NAIDOC Week. Other reports describe the statue being torn down or taken away within roughly 48 hours of the conviction. Across sources, the key developments are the assault conviction, the statue’s removal from outside Optus Stadium, and the decision to remove Winmar from the AFL Hall of Fame.
