Call for more CCTV after swastikas, racist graffiti in Bondi Beach

Police are reviewing footage from the Bondi Beach promenade after a number of racial slurs and swastikas were painted along the sea wall for a second time this year.

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Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage in an effort to find those responsible for racist graffiti painted on the Bondi Beach sea wall yesterday, Waverley Mayor John Wakefield says.

Mr Wakefield said the area was surveilled and footage had been handed over to detectives, but did not want to be drawn on whether more cameras were needed along the promenade, telling The Wentworth Courier: “the area is surveilled”.

His comments come after the swastikas and phrases “white power” and “we hate niggas” were found painted across several murals yesterday morning.

The graffiti comes after a similar incident in February where about 20 swastikas were painted on the murals. Picture: Facebook/Carlos Da Rocha

Liberal Waverley councillor Leon Goltsman, who was alerted to the disturbing find by a jogger, called for extra measures to prevent any future “copycats”.

“One of the things I have had on the agenda for the next council meeting is a CCTV motion, I want to get that up at the next meeting,” he said.

“We need to have surveillance and better surveillance … we need to have an effective method of surveilling (the area).”

Yesterday’s vandalism comes after a similar incident in February, when about 20 swastikas were spray-painted on parts of the mural.

Public artwork on the Bondi Beach boardwalk HAS once again been graffitied . Picture: Facebook

The graffiti was removed within an hour of council being notified yesterday and it is understood council will now seek help from the original artist to restore the murals that were defaced.

Chief executive of the Jewish Board of Deputies Vic Alhadeff yesterday condemned the racist graffiti.

“The swastika represents the ultimate in racial hatred. It also represents the Nazi regime which our country fought against so bravely in World War 2,” he said.

“The residents of Bondi will join all well-meaning Australians in condemning this act of blatant anti-Semitism.”

When asked whether surveillance in the area would be stepped up, a council spokeswoman said it would not be making any further comment and that the matter was now in the hands of the police.

A local resident, who wished to only be identified as Vicki, said she had been walking along the promenade and was concerned by the incidents.

“”It is not only anti-semetic but it has defaced the beautiful murals,” she said.

The swastikas were found along the sea wall by a jogger yesterday morning. Picture: Facebook/Carlos Da Rocha

“I must voice myself and be an advocate and urge the council to put in CCTV cameras, I understand locals do not want this but I do not understand why.”

Wentworth federal election candidate Kerryn Phelps publicly condemned the vandalism, claiming there had been a “distrubing rise in hate speech”.

“I am calling for CCTV to be installed so that we can monitor what happens on the foreshore to try to ensure that this doesn’t happen again,” she said.

Her Liberal rival Dave Sharma told The Australian: “I feel for the Jewish community. This is against the background of growing anti-Semitism worldwide.”

Eastern Suburbs Police say they are appealing to the public for any information regarding the graffiti found about 7am on Wednesday.

Anyone with information as to the identity of the offender/offenders is urged to contact Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command on 9369 9899.