Australia’s New South Wales state has increased police resources to investigate a surge in antisemitic crimes, including the recent arson attack on a childcare center near a Sydney synagogue.
Police say the “Strike Force Pearl” will receive additional funding as officials acknowledge that more needs to be done to tackle the issue. Acting Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell stated that the increased resources are necessary to ensure offenders are identified and arrested.
The move comes after several incidents of targeted attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, which have been linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The attacks have seen buildings, cars, and synagogues damaged or vandalized, with one person suffering burn injuries at a Melbourne synagogue last month.
Police say nine suspects have been arrested over recent antisemitic attacks, with one suspect, Tammie Farrugia, 34, charged with participating in a criminal group related to an attack in December. Farrugia remains in custody until her next court appearance on February 5.
The state government has established “Operation Shelter” to improve community safety after pro-Palestinian protests triggered the recent wave of incidents. Almost 117,000 Jewish people live in Australia, according to the last census, or about 0.46% of the total population.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/australia-sydney-antisemitism-police-maroubra-511847e8e4d290e4dbac5b50fafdcbad