Police have laid charges over several anti-Semitic death threats and vandalism

Police have given a fresh update after a series of anti-Semitic attacks, with charges laid over alleged death threats and vandalism.

The first charges have been laid by the Australian Federal Police’s newly-established unit to crack down on anti-Semitic crime that has grown since the October 7 Hamas attack.

A western Sydney man was arrested on Thursday, with police alleging he posted death threats to a Jewish association’s social media page.

Police searched his Blacktown home, seizing electronic devices and documents.

He has been charged with using a carriage service to make a death threat and to menace, harass or cause offence, after being linked to a social media account posting threatening comments.

He is the first to be charged by Special Operation Avalite, established in December “to identify prolific anti-Semites causing high-harm in the community,” AFP assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt said.

The 44-year-old was granted bail and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on February 26, where he faces a maximum of 15 years imprisonment over the two separate charges.

A western Sydney man was charged on Thursday after police searched his Blacktown home, seizing electronic devices and documents. Picture: Australian Federal Police

The man is the first to be charged by Special Operation Avalite, established to target ‘high-harm, recidivist anti-Semites’. Picture: Australian Federal Police

The arrest follows a police crackdown in a special operation to target “high-harm, recidivist anti-Semites”, and the AFP expect more charges to follow.

“A number of individuals are under investigation and the community should expect further charges. It is abhorrent that individuals are being targeted and threatened because of their race or religion,” he said

“Anti-Semites should be on notice. If you engage in anti-Semitic conduct, you will investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Meanwhile, NSW Police have charged a third man over an allegedly anti-Semitic vandalism spree that left 10 vehicles and three buildings damaged in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last year.

The attacks in the early morning of November 21 involved a car being torched and other cars and properties being sprayed with anti-Israel graffiti in what police estimate is about $90-100k in damages.

Two men aged 19 and 20 are already facing courts over the incident.

A 21-year-old man now faces charges of being the owner of a vehicle failing to disclose the identity of a driver or passenger to police. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment.

He will appear at Waverly Local Court on March 3.

Graffiti included the terms ‘F**k Israel’ and ‘PKK Coming’. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party advocates for Kurdish autonomy within Türkiye, and is recognised by Australia as a terrorist group. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

One man allegedly involved in the vandalism spree, Mohammed Farhat, was arrested last year at Sydney International Airport while attempting to leave the country.

Mr Farhat was charged with a string of offences, including 14 counts of destroying or damaging property and two counts of destroying property using fire.

No injuries were reported during the attack.
The incident was one of the first in a string of anti-Semitic vandalism incidents across Sydney which has since included the spraying of swastikas on Southern Sydney Synagogue in Allawah and Newtown Synagogue, as well as the attempted arson of the latter.

Accelerant was used to start a fire at Newtown Synagogue on Saturday in what Premier Chris Minns says is a ‘massive escalation’. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

Police have appealed to the public to help identify a suspect in the vandalism of Southern Sydney Synagogue on Railway Parade in Allawah. Picture: NSW Police

The incidents have been widely condemned by religious and political leaders.

NSW Premier Chris Minns on Sunday said there had been “a massive escalation in anti-Semitic hate crime in Australia over the last 12 months,” including the burning of Addas Israel synagogue in Melbourne late last year.

“This is not tolerable for anyone that lives in NSW. People come to Australia to practise their religion, to be part of their community free of persecution and free of attack, it’s the government and police’s responsibility to protect those institutions,” he said.

Originally published as Police have laid charges over several anti-Semitic death threats and vandalism