A spate of violent antisemitic attacks in Australia has rattled the Jewish community, with a recent string of incidents leaving synagogues vandalized and a daycare center torched. The authorities are investigating possible foreign involvement in the attacks, which have raised concerns about the security of Australia’s multicultural society.
According to police, masked men set fire to a synagogue in Melbourne and defaced another in Sydney with red swastikas. A daycare center was also targeted, with antisemitic slurs spray-painted on its walls under the cover of night. While there have been no major casualties, the attacks represent a dramatic escalation of tensions sparked by the war in the Middle East.
The Australian Federal Police are investigating whether “overseas actors” were involved in the vandalism and arson. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that investigators are looking into possible financial incentives as motivation for some of the perpetrators. The police have not specified how many of the more than 20 attacks since October are related.
Experts say that while the attacks are concerning, they do not necessarily indicate a broader shift in Australian public attitudes towards immigrants and minority groups. However, the frequency and severity of the recent attacks have unnerved the Jewish community, which is home to the largest proportion of Holocaust survivors outside Israel.
The state police have arrested nine individuals in connection with the crimes, including a 33-year-old man who attempted to set fire to a synagogue in Sydney’s Newtown neighborhood. The premier has vowed to crack down on “rampant antisemitism and violence” in the community.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/world/australia/australia-antisemitic-attacks.html