PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has labelled the graffiti attacks on three historic statues in Sydney’s Hyde Park as a “cowardly criminal act”, as police released an image of a man they wish to speak to.

The words “change the date” and “no pride in genocide” were spray-painted on all four sides the iconic Captain Cook statue at the southern end of Hyde Park early today, and the Governor Macquarie and Queen Victoria monuments were also defaced.

NSW Police this afternoon released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to in relation to the attack.

media_camera CCTV of a man police believe might be able to assist with inquiries in relation to the graffiti attack on public monuments.

media_camera The Captain Cook statue was vandalised overnight. Picture: David Swift

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance with a full face beard. He was last seen wearing black sunglasses, a khaki coloured jacket with a red shirt or scarf underneath, black track pants and brown boots.

“Today’s vandalism of statues of James Cook and Lachlan Macquarie is a cowardly criminal act and I hope the police swiftly find those responsible and bring them to justice,” Mr Turnbull said in a statement posted on Facebook.

“But it is also part of a deeply disturbing and totalitarian campaign to not just challenge our history but to deny it and obliterate it.”

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The Lachlan Macquarie statue, which had the words “change the date” spray painted on it while a bag was placed over its head.

Across the road in St James Square outside the NSW Supreme Court, the statue of Queen Victoria was also vandalised.

media_camera Council workers cleaned the statues which were defaced today. Picture: David Swift

media_camera The crude messages defaced three of our nation’s historic monuments. Picture: 7 News

Police believe the vandals struck between 2.25am-3.15am on Saturday.

“Three crime scenes have been established throughout the park and inquiries are continuing,” a police spokeswoman said.

Council workers cleaned the statues with paint rollers and high pressure water hoses and had the graffiti removed before midday.

The graffiti attack comes as the debate over whether the date of Australia Day should be changed has gathered momentum and become increasingly emotional.

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The statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park vandalised overnight The statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park vandalised overnight

This week, broadcaster Stan Grant called for the working on the statue, which says Captain Cook discovered the territory in 1770, to be changed.

In a radio interview this week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Grant’s opinion was dead wrong and said Australians would be horrified at the thought of rewriting history.

At Hyde Park, passers by said while they sympathised with the Aboriginal cause, defacing public property was the wrong way to go about seeking change.

“It’s a terrible shame that the Australians lost this land ... but defacing a statue is the wrong thing to do, it’s disrespectful and there are better ways to get your point across,” said Marjorie Taylor of Darlinghurst said.

Police media said investigators would be examining nearby CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the culprits.