NSW Premier Chris Minns admits he ‘can’t promise’ end to anti-Semitic attacks, vows changes to the law

The NSW Premier has made a grim admission about the spate of anti-Semitic attacks gripping Sydney, flagging possible changes to the law.

Chris Minns says he “can’t promise an end” to the spate of anti-Semitic attacks in NSW, but is vowing strong police responses and to even make changes to the law “to keep people safe”.

The NSW Premier made the remarks during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney, where police have been investigating a series of incidents at synagogues and in suburbs with high Jewish populations.

Melbourne has seen a similar spike in anti-Semitic attacks, with synagogue getting firebombed late last year.

“Look, I can’t promise an end to these despicable anti-Semitic attacks,” Mr Minns told reporters.

“The reason is because there’s terrible people, unfortunately, that live in our community, that perpetuate these acts and attack other members of the Australian community on the basis of their race or their religion.

“It’s despicable, but that’s the truth. What I can promise is when those actions take place, they’ll be met with the full police response and that we will change the law if we believe we need to, to strengthen the community, to keep people safe.”

Chris Minns says he ‘can’t promise an end’ to the spate of anti-Semitic attacks in NSW. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

He added he would “make sure that the political leadership of the state and the country is united against this kind of racist attack”.

The comments came two days after “f**k Jews” and “f**k Israel” were spray-painted onto two cars set on fire in the suburb of Dover Heights.

A house was also splashed with paint.

The property was formerly owned by high-profile Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

A house was splashed with red paint and “f**k Jews” and “f**k Israel” were spray-painted onto two cars set on fire in the Sydney suburb of Dover Heights on Friday. Picture: Supplied

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin and his wife Vicki Ryvchin recently moved from their former family home in Dover Heights. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Mr Minns also said he was increasingly of the belief that the anti-Semitic attacks started with words, flagging that his government would move to crack down on hate speech.

“The initial spark is hate speech in our community, and our government’s going to make a decision soon – a difficult decision, but the right one, I believe – to strengthen hate

speech laws in New South Wales so that if someone is preaching hatred in the community, it doesn’t manifest itself two months or three months later in a firebombing or an attack or something worse,” he said.

“So look, we are concerned about it, but no stone will be left unturned.

“And we will, of course meet all kinds of violent activity in New South Wales with a massive, massive police response.”

The Albanese government on Friday launched a new strategy to tackle rising violent extremism.

A national support and intervention program is at the core of the $102.6m action plan.

It comes on top of Operation Avalite – an Australian Federal Police-led taskforce to crack down on anti-Semitic incidents.

During his joint press conference with Mr Minns, the Prime Minister noted the taskforce had made its first arrests this week.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government is ‘determined’ to stamp out anti-Semitic attacks in Australia’s biggest cities. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

“We’re determined to stamp this out,” Mr Albanese said.

“There is no place in Australia for anti-Semitism. There is no place for the sort of outrageous acts that we have seen.”

Anti-Semitism has surged in Australia since Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack on Israel in 2023.

The Islamist group killed 1200 and took hundreds more hostage as its militants retreated into Gaza.

Israel’s casualty-heavy response has decimated Gaza, the Palestinian territory run by Hamas.

PM’s hope for fragile Gaza ceasefire

A fragile ceasefire will take effect in Gaza at 5:30pm AEDT, pausing fighting for the first time in 15 months.

The deal, brokered by US and Qatari mediators on earlier this week, is split into three stages.

Under the first stage, Hamas will release 33 hostages over six weeks, with an initial three set to be released on Sunday.

Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female Israeli soldier Hamas releases, and 30 for each civilian.

Israel will also allow Palestinian civilians to return to Gaza’s north along with an influx of humanitarian aid.

A fragile ceasefire will take effect in Gaza at 5:30pm AEDT, pausing fighting for the first time in 15 months. Picture: Omar Al-Qataa / AFP

But the truce could collapse, with several members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government promising to quit over the deal.

The Israeli Prime Minister himself has reserved the right to continue the war if negotiations for the second phase do not proceed as planned.

The Albanese government has long called for a ceasefire, straining ties with the Netanyahu government.

Mr Albanese said he hoped the “ceasefire holds”.

“We’re certainly hopeful, as I think the world is, that this ceasefire holds,” he said.

“It’s what the world has wanted to see, and it is good this will come into place.

“We want to see hostages released, we want to see a proper aid to be able to get to the people of Gaza, and we want Israelis and Palestinians to be able to live.”

Originally published as NSW Premier Chris Minns admits he ‘can’t promise’ end to anti-Semitic attacks, vows changes to the law