A vision splendid or eyesore? South Australian court to rule on ‘Blue Blob’ sculpture vandalism charge

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Tory ShepherdDecember 10, 2025 at 01:02 AM

AI Summary

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In Mount Gambier, South Australia, a court case is ongoing regarding the alleged vandalism of the "Blue Blob" sculpture. Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, is charged with damaging the $136,000 artwork by attaching novelty googly eyes to it in September. The sculpture, officially named "Cast in Blue," is a local landmark that has been vandalized before. Police allege Vanderhorst acted intentionally or with reckless indifference, causing less than $2,500 in damage. The case has been adjourned until January to allow for negotiations between Vanderhorst's lawyer and the prosecution. The incident has sparked debate about the line between harmless fun and vandalism, with the mayor condemning the act as costly and disrespectful.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Blue Lake 50% Mount Gambier ×460% Amelia Vanderhorst ×270% Lynette Martin 80%

Keywords

blue blob 90% vandalism 90% googly eyes 80% sculpture 80% court case 70% mount gambier 60% public art 60% damage to property 50% eyebombing 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.05

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Mount Gambier

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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blue blob vandalism googly eyes sculpture court case mount gambier public art damage to property eyebombing

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