Victoria's top cop regrets naming a Melbourne pub as the site where dozens of people congregated on the street in breach of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
The Peacock Hotel in Northcote was vandalised and targeted with abusive Google reviews after it was identified by Chief Commissioner Shane Patton and media as the location of an illegal street gathering on Sunday afternoon.
"STAY HOME YUPPIE BASTARDS," graffiti on the front of the venue read on Tuesday morning before it was removed.
The pub's owner, Andrew Gilbert, told AAP on Monday it had been closed for the entire sixth lockdown and he was unaware a crowd had come together to listen to music being played at an apartment opposite the venue.
Although he never said the pub was behind the event, Mr Patton admitted some may have misconstrued his "ambiguous" public comments.
"I'm sorry there was that misinterpretation. That venue wasn't serving any of the alcohol or any of the food involved. It was used as a reference point," he told reporters.
"Could I or should I have been clearer with my language? Yes. So I do regret that."
Mr Gilbert said he accepted his apology "to a degree".
"Have someone do a little bit of research before you name drop a certain business that's doing it hard and is closed," he told 3AW.
People are no longer allowed to remove their masks to drink takeaway alcohol from venues after police handed out up to 100 fines at the weekend, including at a takeaway-drink pub crawl in Richmond and the 200-person street party in Northcote.
