A masked man climbed 460 feet up a pillar of Melbourne's Bolte Bridge early on 7 July 2026, painted a Pam the Bird graffiti tag, and issued demands including lower taxes and a peanut butter and jam sandwich, causing traffic chaos on the M1 motorway.
Six-Hour Standoff with Police
The unidentified graffiti artist, dressed head to toe in black, scaled the iconic bridge pillar and created another mural of the city's well-known Pam the Bird tag. He then remained atop the pillar for over six hours, occasionally obscured by clouds due to the height. Emergency services observed from below, concerned for his wellbeing, while the man appeared content and filmed himself from his perch.
Demands: Tax Cuts and a Sandwich
Before descending, the vandal posted a list of demands on a social media account for Pam the Bird. Initially, he called for "lower taxes" as a condition for coming down. In a video, he said, "I'm not coming down until they lower the taxes. I'm f***ing sick of paying that s**t." When asked which taxes, he replied, "All of them." He later requested a "blankey" to ward off the cold—Melbourne's temperature dropped to 3°C that morning—and a peanut butter and jam sandwich with a glass of milk, stating, "I want a peanut butter and jam sandwich and a glass of milk or I'm not coming down." He posted an image with the caption "patiently waiting for my pb and j sandwich."
Traffic Chaos and Abseiling Stunt
The protest caused pandemonium on the Bolte Bridge and M1 motorway. Around 8am local time, the man abseiled partway down the pillar to wave at spectators before returning to his perch. He later posted that he would descend at noon, adding he was waiting for the tide to recede. The sea level lies 95 feet below his 460-foot vantage point.
Pam the Bird Graffiti Spree
The tag 'Pam the Bird' has appeared on Melbourne landmarks since 2023, including Flinders Street Station and the 'International Gateway' structure on the M1. The man used abseiling equipment to reach the top and paint the tag. As of the time of writing, he remained perched atop the pillar, with police awaiting his descent.
