A high school in New South Wales has been forced to close after vandals caused extensive damage and defaced the campus with graffiti. Macquarie Fields High School, located in southwest Sydney, notified parents and students on Thursday that the campus would remain shut until further notice due to what officials described as "significant vandalism."
Incident Details
Police reported that the break-in occurred around 9:25 p.m. on Wednesday. Officers arriving at the scene discovered multiple broken windows, with offenders allegedly entering school buildings and damaging furniture and equipment inside classrooms. Graffiti was sprayed across various parts of the campus, as seen in photos posted online.
Footage captured by 7NEWS shows shattered windows, while student Zafri Ahmad expressed shock at the extent of the damage. "The school has been graffitied and vandalised … just to an extent that you can’t imagine," Ahmad said. "It was really shocking to see that first thing in the morning. A lot of broken stuff. Not great at all."
School Response and Remote Learning
In a notice to parents, the school stated, "Safety is our priority, and the police are investigating the incident." Students have been transitioned to remote learning while cleanup and repairs are underway. Those who arrived on Thursday morning or could not be supervised at home were provided on-site supervision.
A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education said the department is working to ensure students can return to campus as soon as possible. "The school has unfortunately been significantly damaged following a break-in overnight," the spokesperson said. "Police are investigating the circumstances of this incident, and we are working to clean up and repair the damage to ensure students can safely return to the site as quickly as possible."
Police Investigation
A crime scene has been established, and investigations are ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information, CCTV footage, or dashcam recordings to contact Crime Stoppers. The campus will remain closed until further notice, with updates expected as the situation develops.
