Jewish leaders, politicians and residents condemn latest anti-Semitic graffiti in Queens Park
Anti-semitic graffiti has been spray-painted across a car in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in the latest incident in a spate of “hatred”, which has been slammed by emotional residents and community leaders.
NSW
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Anti-semitic graffiti has been spray-painted across a car in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in the latest incident in a spate of “Jew-hatred” with local Jewish residents brought to tears.
The graffiti seen on a white car on Monday morning shows the words “F**k the Jews” written in big, black writing on Henry St in Queens Park.
Police were alerted to the graffiti about 5.40am on Monday, and believe the vandalism occurred between 7am Sunday and the time they were notified.
Forensic police officers were at the scene this morning dusting the car in the search for clues.
Stuart Veron, who owns the vandalised car, said he did not believe he was the target.
“I think I just got unlucky” and “I don’t think I was targeted or anything”.
He told reporters he had just woken up and was confused when he came across the graffiti.
When asked how the local Jewish residents would be feeling, Mr Veron said “they’d be disgusted” and added “there’s no place for that in this community or anywhere in Australia”
Local Jewish resident Yvonne Strasser was emotional in response to seeing the car, citing her grandmother who was killed in the Holocaust.
“This is how it starts,” Ms Strasser said.
“I heard it was racial slurs, but I thought it would be anti-Israel, not anti-Semitic.”
Sharon Greenberg, 64, a clinical psychologist living in the street, alerted police and Jewish leaders to the incident.
Trembling, she said: “My daughter Camille and I were walking for a coffee at 6.30am when she saw the car.
“The moment I read the words it was like a cricket bat to the head. A lot of Jewish people already suffer from past trauma, this is very triggering for us,” she said.
“This is the climate we’re living in. This is how we’ve been living since October 7. It’s deeply confronting and upsetting.”
LEADERS CONDEMN ATTACK
The latest act has led Jewish and community leaders to lash out.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin condemned the new anti-Semitic attack.
It comes after similar graffiti popped up in Woollahra at the end of last year on two separate occasions, including “F**k Israel” vandalised on multiple cars, “kill Israel” written on a wall and a car torched.
“Sydney awakes to another anti-Semitic crime (in) another suburb with a large Jewish community and multiple Jewish communal facilities,” Mr Ryvchin said.
“No one just vandalises a car with a racist slogan. It is the product of endless incitement, demonisation and a belief that such attitudes are freely permitted, even celebrated.”
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said he was “appalled and saddened” by the graffiti.
“It is unacceptable that Jewish Australians and Australians of all backgrounds have had to wake up yet again and see messages of hate prominently displayed in their neighbourhood,” he said.
“It is intolerable that Australians are having to go to bed fearful that their cars or properties will be defaced overnight with anti-Semitic hate speech.”
Mr Ossip said it was important to not “allow ourselves to become desensitised to acts of Jew-hatred and allow illegal conduct ... (like) this to become normalised”.
“Laws must be tightened to more effectively deal with hate speech and incitement to violence and individuals who commit crimes must be identified and face the full force of the law,” Mr Ossip said.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, also condemned the attack.
“The vile defacement of this car is yet another chilling chapter in the rising tide of anti-Semitism that has swept across our nation since October 7. This is not an isolated incident — it’s part of an alarming pattern, a relentless drumbeat of hate that is growing louder with each passing day.
“From firebombing a synagogue to online threats to terrifying marches in the streets and now this shocking act of vandalism, it feels as though the walls of safety and tolerance are being chipped away. Each of these incidents, is a scar on the soul of our nation. They form a toxic mosaic of prejudice, emboldening those who seek to divide and intimidate.
“This is not a moment to sit silently or brush this off as an act of random vandalism — it is a co-ordinated and escalating campaign to make Australia’s Jewish community feel unwelcome and unsafe. And unless we confront it head-on, we risk allowing the unthinkable to become the norm.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he was “horrified by this shocking” anti-Semitic image and vowed to find the offender.
“This is an abhorrent act of vandalism and will not be tolerated,” Mr Minns said.
“The steep rise in anti-Semitic incidents is deeply alarming. The NSW Government is committed to blunting this appalling increase in hateful and violent acts against the Jewish community.”
The premier said the NSW Government is “sending the message that this not only intolerable -- it is an outrage”.
“Jewish people expect and deserve to feel safe in their own city,” he said.
“To whoever committed this act - you will be found and you will face the full force of the law.”
NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman said it was yet “another vile act of anti-Semitism” which “strikes at the heart of the inclusive and multicultural society we cherish”.
“The Jewish community has every right to feel safe and respected, as does every community in our state,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned the incident.
“There is no tolerance for antisemitism in Australia from my government nor should there be from anyone else,” he said.
“Antisemitism is a scourge and any events such as this…is not the Australian values that I hold dear.”
Wentworth MP Allegra Spender said she was “appalled” by the graffiti, adding “anti-Semitic hate has no place in our society”.
She shared that NSW Police will be meeting with leaders to discuss “what more needs to be done to protect” her electorate’s Jewish community.
One Jewish resident was shocked to see the vandalised car parked 1km from the major Jewish day school Moriah College“I was on my way to work when I saw it and was shocked and deeply saddened by the assault on the Jewish community, it’s happening every day now,” said Michael Goldstein.
“The escalation of vandalism and inaction from the authorities just emboldens the cowards. There is virtually no recourse or punishment for this conduct.
“One minute, the anti-Semitic vandals are targeting buildings, next they go for cars and bikes, soon it will be people,” he added.
“This leaves me and the Jewish Community feeling very vulnerable.”
“Personally, as an Australian Jew, I no longer feel safe in my own community, in my neighbourhood, and in my own home.
“The government and the authorities have sat idle as our local streets a battleground for anti-Jewish thugs. Jews have already been accosted and assaulted in our streets simply for being Jewish.”
A NSW police spokesman said “Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command are investigating after offensive graffiti was spray painted on a parked car in Sydney’s east.
“The incident is believed to have occurred between 7am on Sunday 5 January and 5.45am today (Monday 6 January 2025) on Henry Street, Queens Park.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
It follows a spate of anti-Semitic incidents and graffiti.
The first instance of anti-Semitic graffiti.
In Woollahra in November last year, 10 cars were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti while a vehicle was set alight which prompted condemnation from political leaders, including the premier who said the attack was “unacceptable, un-Australian, and it will not be tolerated”.
Former Prime Minister John Howard called the incident a “demonstration of naked anti-Semitism” as “f**k Israel” was plastered over vehicles and buildings.
In what police believe to be an unrelated incident less than a month later in December, multiple cars and buildings were smeared with anti-Israel slogans, including “kill Israel” and “death 2 Israel” with another car torched.
It led Mr Minns and Police Commissioner Karen Webb to further resource Operation Shelter, which came into place after the October 7 attacks in Israel, with dedicated teams “increasing further patrols” around Sydney’s east.
The Daily Telegraph previously reported anti-Semitic attacks across the country have jumped 316 per cent since the October 7 attacks in 2023.
In a statement on Monday morning, Waverley mayor Will Nemesh said it was “disturbing and shocking to see yet another example of brazen anti-Semitism targeting” his local community.
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