The defacing of Liberal advertising trailers with homophobic graffiti yesterday adds to a string of allegations of dirty political tactics in the campaign's intense final week.
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Police have been involved in three incidents alleged to be ''politically motivated'' this week, and the major parties have all reported vandal attacks and offensive behaviour. A Liberals trailer featuring the ''Labor or Greens = triple rates'' slogan was defaced with the words ''Abbott's faggot'' yesterday.
Another Liberal trailer on Parkes Way was vandalised, while Labor signs along William Hovell Drive were ripped in half and thrown on the ground.
No arrests were made over the defacing of the trailers, despite statements to the contrary released by the Liberals yesterday. Police are speaking with a 20-year-old student from O'Connor, who is helping them with their inquiries.
Meanwhile, Canberra Liberals leader Zed Seselja has called the defacing of posters for Ginninderra candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu ''the vilest campaign attack I have ever seen, anywhere in Australia''.
Campaign signs for Mr Vadakkedathu on Coulter and William Hovell drives were spray painted with racist slogans at the weekend.
Mr Seselja yesterday called on ACT Labor to rule out any involvement with the vandalism of the posters, as well as the attack on the Liberals campaign truck.
''There is no excuse for vandalising property and for an arrest to be made is extremely serious,'' he said. ''This sort of vile act detracts from this very important election. Katy Gallagher has claimed she has run a clean campaign and I call on her to … rule out that this came from anyone associated with the Labor Party.''
Mr Vadakkedathu said racist insults did not belong in the campaign.
''This is personally offensive to me and my family and should be offensive to every Canberran who aspires to a multicultural society, no matter what side of politics they're on,'' he said.
Vandals also have also drawn burqas onto campaign signs for Labor MLA Joy Burch and changed the Minister for Multicultural Affairs' name to ''Joy Burqa''.
''All leaders should call for calm on campaign trail,'' Chief Minister Katy Gallagher wrote on Twitter yesterday. ''No place in any campaign for defacing and destroying signs regardless of party politics.''
ACT Labor campaign director Elias Hallaj said there had been numerous incidents involving vandalism of the party's campaign materials in the past few days, causing thousands of dollars of damage. ''As far as we know there has not been any involvement by any ACT Labor members in activities which Mr Seselja is alleging in his statement,'' he said.
