Melbourne's mayor has reported a spray-paint attack on the city's iconic Hosier Lane over the weekend to police, saying it's "not in keeping with the spirit" of the street art laneway.

Key points: About six people in masks used paint guns to spray over street art in Hosier Lane

About six people in masks used paint guns to spray over street art in Hosier Lane The cobbled laneway is a world-famous street art destination in Melbourne

The cobbled laneway is a world-famous street art destination in Melbourne Melbourne artist Rone said the laneway was already seen as "trash" and a "tourist trap" by some artists

A video posted to Instagram on Sunday showed about six people in masks spraying multi-coloured paint onto the walls of the lane.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the council believed the attack occurred on Saturday evening, with the cobblestones which pave the laneway also damaged.

"That balance between street art and graffiti is sometimes difficult to define," she said.

"We see this as vandalism and intend to pursue the people who have perpetrated this crime."

The City of Melbourne said it was investigating the circumstances of the vandalism. ( ABC News: Iskhandar Razak )

In a statement, Cr Capp said the vandalism was "unacceptable and is not in keeping with the spirit of Hosier Lane".

Police have appealed for any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers.

The laneway is a popular photography destination for Melbourne tourists. ( ABC News: Nicole Mills )

A mural of a koala which appeared in the wake of deadly bushfires was left unscathed by the paint attack. ( ABC News: Iskhandar Razak )

The lane is well-known for its street art and graffiti, with layer upon layer of paint sprayed on its walls over the years.

But prominent Melbourne artist Rone told the ABC that Hosier Lane was "a free-for-all" and the spray paint attack was "an exaggeration of what's already happening".

"Nothing is respected down there anyway," he said.

"There is a view held by some artists that Hosier Lane is trash already. It's a tourist trap.

"There have been artists selling wares down there. It's becoming like an extension of Vic market."

He said while art used to stay in the lane for up to 10 years, things changed after the entire lane was painted blue as an art project.

"Nothing was sacred after that. Nothing was important," Rone said.

Political ideas and images, such as the controversial egging of former senator Fraser Anning, have also found their way onto the laneway in the past. ( ABC News: Danielle Bonica )

Street art curator Dean Sunshine posted a video of the laneway to Instagram this morning and described Hosier Lane as "refreshed … by a crew of #graff artists".

"Probably the best project I've seen in there for ages," he said in his post.

Culture Kings manager Chase Joslin works in the lane and said it was disappointing that artworks created to reflect the impact of the recent bushfires had been destroyed.

"In a matter of minutes it was destroyed. It's a real shame," he said.

Culture Kings manager Chase Joslin said he was struggling to see the spray-paint attack as a form of art. ( ABC News )

Mr Joslin said he did not think the spray-paint attack was art.

"When you're coming through and destroying people's art I don't think it's part of the culture," he said.

"What is it? There's not much art to it."

Cr Capp has encouraged the city's street artists to come to Hosier Lane and paint over the spray paint from the weekend.

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