Vandals spray paint swastika on billboard promoting Melbourne theatre’s production about Anne Frank

A theatre company was left disgusted after vandals spray painted a Nazi swastika on a billboard advertising its production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

The Peridot Theatre Company in Melbourne is hosting the production of the play throughout August. 

A photo shared of the billboard shows a red swastika painted over the billboard with the name Leroy painted above it. 

Anne Frank (pictured), a German-born Jewish girl, is one of the most enduring faces of the holocaust who fled with her family to the Netherlands soon after the outbreak of the Second World War

Peridot Theatre Company Alison Knight told Daily Mail Australia a cast member of the show was the first person to report the vandalism which left other members of the cast and crew devastated. 

‘The director and cast of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ were very distressed at the incident. They have worked hard to bring Anne’s story to life,’ Mrs Knight said.

‘They have attended the Holocaust Museum as a group in order to deepen their understanding of this period of history and the impact of the Holocaust on the Jewish people.

‘Obviously, we at Peridot are upset at the incident but have been buoyed by the support of friends in the theatre community and beyond.’

Mrs Knight said the vandalism only reinforced the importance of sharing the story of Anne Frank through the popular play.

‘A Jewish lady has been advising the cast on matters of religion and culture. We believe that Anne’s story needs to be told, and we will continue telling it with even more purpose,’ she said. 

Mrs Knight said the vandalism only reinforced the importance of sharing the story of Anne Frank through the popular play (pictured middle with family)

The vandalism happened just one day after the show’s opening night and Mrs Knight immediately took to social media to share her disgust.

‘Upset, angry, disgusted. Some lowlife has sprayed a swastika on the board advertising our production of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ This action is sickening,’ the post read. 

Mrs Knight then used a quote from Anne Frank.

‘Anne wrote: “I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart”.

‘We are honoured to tell Anne’s story. We say NO to hate.’

Mrs Knight and her husband has since cleaned up by the graffiti after reporting it to police who are investigating.

‘The despicable vandalism just underlines the fact that stories such as Anne Frank’s still need telling. Today’s matinee was virtually sold out and the audience was hugely complimentary,’ a follow up post read.  

Anne Frank had taken up writing a diary prior to the outbreak of the war and continued to write up until the day of her capture which has helped her legacy endure

Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl, is one of the most enduring faces of the holocaust.

The young girl fled with her family to the Netherlands soon after the outbreak of the second World War. 

Sadly Anne and her family were discovered two years later by the occupying Nazi forces after they had invaded the Netherlands.

Anne and her family were arrested and transported to the most notorious concentration camp of the war, Auschwitz. 

She would later be transferred to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with her sister Margot, where both died after contracting typhus. 

Anne had taken up writing a diary prior to the outbreak of the war and continued to write up until the day of her capture which has helped her legacy endure. 

A play was written around the tragic events of Anne’s life, titled The Diary of Anne Frank, which has played across the world and won a Pulitzer Prize for its creators, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.  

The Diary of Anne Frank will play at the Peridot Theatre Company until August 24. 

After going into hiding in the Netherlands for two years (hideout pictured centre) Anne and her family were arrested and transported to the most notorious concentration camp of the war, Auschwitz