Man charged over tweet allegedly threatening to ‘bash holocaust survivors’ at Jewish nursing home

A Western Sydney man has been charged with threatening violence based on religion after he allegedly posted an offensive, anti-Semitic comment online.

A western Sydney man is facing criminal charges after he allegedly threatened to “bash holocaust survivors” at a Jewish nursing home in a now-deleted social media post.

Ashley Bell was arrested and charged on Wednesday, after he allegedly posted an anti-Semitic comment on X, formerly known as Twitter, which police have described as “threatening and offensive”.

The tweet, obtained by The Telegraph, allegedly read: “Let’s go to the (aged care) home in Randwick and bash some Holocaust survivors!”.

Graffiti and other incidents of anti-Semitism have been appearing all over Sydney. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

After receiving a report about the post, officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command commenced an investigation.

Bell was later arrested at his Harris Park home and charged with publicly threatening violence on grounds of religion and using carriage service to menace/harass/offend.

When contacted by the Telegraph, Bell – who claims to be a therapist – said he was “surprised” by the charges.

“It was a sarcastic comment to highlight the stupidity of anti-Semitism,” he said.

“It’s understandable it may have caused offence, but those people don’t know me.”

Bell will face court over the allegations in January.

Ashley Bell, 48, has been charged with posting a threatening and anti-Semitic comment on social media.

In wake of the alleged threats, holocaust survivor and Alfred Dreyfus Anti Defamation Unit president Ernie Friedlander OAM said it was “absolutely disgusting”.

“It’s so un-Australian to do these things,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“A few ratbags like this … they need to be isolated.”

While explaining that “action needs to be taken to calm things down”, Mr Friendlander said it was a two-fold approach, firstly making sure people are aware of the harm they are causing and secondly educating people.

“(We) need to work on the positives to isolate the negatives,” he said.

“We need to show the goodness that Australia is standing for.”

The incident is the latest in a string of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, with a recent report revealing 2062 anti-Semitic incidents targeting Australia’s 100,000 Jews have been recorded in the 12 months to September, up from 495 last year.

The circulation of anti-Semitic posters has risen 679 per cent, verbal abuse 230 per cent and graffiti 214 per cent, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry report.

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