A Jewish area in Sydney was targeted by vandals overnight, with a stolen car set on fire and antisemitic words scrawled on walls. The attack comes as authorities investigate an arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne and follows other recent vandalism incidents in the city.
State Premier Chris Minns and police have condemned the act, saying it has no place in multicultural Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also expressed outrage, stating that Australians reject this behavior and want to live peacefully side by side.
The Jewish community has reported thousands of antisemitic incidents in the past year, with tensions rising over Israel’s conflict with Gaza. Pro-Palestinian rallies have taken place on Australian streets, but the community is calling for a response to address the growing threat of hate crimes.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-CEO Alex Ryvchin says the attack was predictable and that authorities must take action to ensure community safety. He emphasizes the need for education to teach people about hatred and its impact on society, rather than just deploying more security measures.
To address the issue, the government is allocating $5.4 million from the Sydney Jewish Museum redevelopment project, aiming to promote greater understanding of Jewish culture and Australian contributions.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/10/australia/australia-antisemitic-attack-sydney-intl-hnk/index.html