Jack Gibson-Burrell, the 22-year-old Yarraville man accused of painting the notorious Pam the Bird graffiti, was arrested on Tuesday after an hours-long police standoff atop Melbourne's Bolte Bridge. He allegedly climbed the 140-metre pillar, painted a giant cartoon bird, and caused traffic chaos, surrendering peacefully just before midday.
Standoff and Surrender
Police were called to the bridge at 2am after reports that someone had scaled one of the pillars. Gibson-Burrell, dressed in black, abseiled down to paint the tag and then returned to the top, taunting officers below. He finally climbed down and surrendered on the embankment at the bottom of the bridge around 11am. The standoff lasted nearly nine hours, during which Melbourne's temperature dropped to 4C with fog covering the pillar.
Social Media Posts
A recently created Instagram page, @pambirdofficial, shared videos appearing to show Gibson-Burrell at the top. In one video, a man says, "I'm not coming down until they lower the taxes. Fucking sick of paying that shit." Another shows feet dangling and a man flipping the bird to police below. He later requested a blanket.
Police Response and Costs
Acting Inspector Darren Wallis said the man caused "considerable cost to the public" and drew significant police resources, including specialist units. Wallis thanked the public for staying away, noting the situation was "particularly precarious" and "quite dangerous to the accused person." Police would not confirm the identity of the man in custody.
Previous Charges
Gibson-Burrell has previously been charged with 209 offences related to other Pam the Bird graffiti, including reckless conduct endangering life, criminal damage, theft, and aggravated burglary. He is accused of causing about $700,000 in damages, including to heritage-listed Victorian landmarks. In July 2024, he allegedly trespassed into Flinders Street station and abseiled up its clock tower to paint the bird. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in May with conditions including a $30,000 surety, a nightly curfew, and a ban on possessing graffiti or abseiling equipment.
