Police are investigating a protest incident at a popular fountain which caused the water to run red on Anzac Day.

Deputy Mayor of Auckland Desley Simpson expressed her fury on Friday that Mission Bay’s Trevor Moss Davis Memorial Fountain, in the city’s inner east, had been damaged.

Photos shared on her Facebook show the memorial covered with red liquid and surrounding water dyed with red paint or dye.

‘I respect the right for peaceful protest. What I don’t respect or condone is wilful damage of public property,’ she said.

‘Our wonderful Mission Bay fountain was only cleaned yesterday! 

‘A police report has been done, we have CCTV in the area and another clean will occur today!’

The protest, which was about Israel’s war in Gaza, appeared to coincide with Anzac Day, with a poster stuck to the foundation with a remembrance poppy at the bottom.

Above the poppy was the phrase: ‘Never again is now.’

Locals took to social media to debate whether it was disrespectful to hold the protest on Friday

The poster urged the New Zealand government to act to uphold ‘international law’. 

‘How many more children slaughtered in Gaza,’ it asked.

’18 months of genocide. Blood on their hands.’ 

New Zealand news website, Stuff said police received a report at about 5am local time that people were near the fountain while the caller set up for an Anzac service.

The report is being assessed by officers.

Locals appeared to be split on the protest, arguing in the comments on the choice of day to make a statement.

‘How totally disrespectful to the men and women we remember today who fought for these morons,’ one commenter said.

Another said: ‘ANZAC day is not the day to do this.’ 

But one user said that it: ‘Breaks my heart that people are more concerned with red food colouring in a fountain.’