‘Appalling’: Authorities warn of anti-Semitic escalation after synagogue arson attempt
The NSW Police counter terrorism unit is leading a probe into vandalism across two Sydney synagogues, which has been deemed a “serious escalation” of anti-Semitic crime.
NSW
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Authorities have labelled the spate of vandalism across two Sydney synagogues over the weekend as a “serious escalation” of anti-Semitic crime, after fire accelerant was used during an attack on Saturday.
Premier Chris Minns urged members of the community with information of the incidents to come forward after police received no response to CCTV footage identifying two people they would like to speak with after a dozen swastikas were painted on a synagogue in Allawah on Thursday.
“No one has come forward with information as to who that person is,” he said.
“That image is very clear, it did identify that individual and there is someone out there in the community today who knows who this person is and they have an obligation to report it to Crimestoppers or the NSW Police.
“This escalation is very concerning …. There is never any justification for this kind of racist, anti-Semitic targeted attacks on members of our community.”
The NSW Police counter-terrorism unit is now leading the investigation under Strikeforce Pearl, alongside state crime command and local detectives.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said police were currently investigating possible links between an attack on Newtown Synagogue on Friday night in which swastikas were painted on the building and a similar incident at Allawah the day before. Police are concerned the use of fire accelerant at the Newtown Synagogue marked a violent escalation of the spate of vandalism.
“The information that we have in relation to the attack on the Newtown synagogue is that it is two people on push bikes. The information in relation to Allawah is that it is a male and a female,” Commissioner Webb said.
“We haven’t ruled out that they are connected.”
She said the fire burnt itself out after three minutes and did not badly damage the building.
Ms Webb said police were also investigating possible links between Friday’s attack on the Newtown Synagogue and a series of arson attacks on Jewish-affiliated businesses.
“We’re looking at some matters from late last year … in relation to some other arson attacks and we don’t know whether they’re linked,” she said.
“Certainly in arson attacks, generally there is an accelerant.”
NSW Police are also investigating the anti-Semitic vandalism of a home on Henry St in Queens Park, which also was painted with swastikas. Police are investigating whether this is related to the other attacks.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday the culprits should “face the full force of the law”.
“The vile graffiti we’ve seen overnight, including at the Newtown synagogue, is abhorrent and needs to stop immediately. Australia is a better place than this,” he said.
Meanwhile, a man has been charged after allegedly painting a Nazi symbol on the wall of a chemist in Newcastle.
Just days after two Sydney synagogues were plastered with swastikas and other anti-Semitic graffiti in separate incidents, police will allege the 47-year-old approached a store on Beaumont St, Hamilton, and painted the offensive symbol on a side wall about 7.30am on Sunday.
The man has been charged with intentionally marking a premises without consent and knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public without an excuse.
He was refused bail and is set to face Newcastle Local Court on Monday morning.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said on Sunday that police must make arrests to stop any future attacks from happening.
“Vandalising places of worship, burning electorate offices and publicly supporting terrorists are not trivialities, they are serious threats to our national security,” he said in reference to a series of anti-Semitic incidents across the country.
“Current legal, policing and sentencing frameworks fail to address this and the result is a culture of impunity in which attacks on Jews carry little consequence and much prestige for extremists.”
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