Brighton Secondary College students dressed as Arabs in anti-Semitic bullying incident

A group of Brighton Secondary College students arrived at the school dressed in traditional Arab clothing in an anti-Semitic muck-up day prank.

Anti-Semitic incidents on Victorian education campuses are escalating, with students at one school facing disciplinary action after coming to school dressed as Arabs, the Herald Sun can reveal.

Racial division is festering at universities, too, with two union branches moving pro-Palestinian motions and another university sporting an anti-Jewish poster with a razor blade taped to the back.

The Brighton Secondary College year 12 students came dressed up as part of a muck-up day prank.

Dr Dvir Abramovich has lashed a spike in disturbing anti-Jewish incidents. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Donning white robes and head coverings, they were summoned to the acting principal’s office and told to remove their costumes immediately.

A Department of Education spokesperson said the college is “continuing to investigate the incident and appropriate action is being taken in response”.

“The school apologises unreservedly that this has occurred, with support available to students in light of recent events.”

It comes after a Federal Court judge found five former students from the school were subjected to anti-Semitic bullying and received compensation payouts of about $435,000 in September.

A University of Melbourne spokesperson said it had “received a report saying a student found a razor blade lodged behind a poster on campus.

The matter is being investigated and any findings will be handed to the Victorian Police for further action”.

Reports of a similar poster at RMIT could not be verified by the university.

Further unrest is expected to follow National Tertiary Education Union branches at Victoria University and La Trobe University passing a motion which expresses “unwavering solidarity with Palestine and calls for an immediate end to occupation and apartheid”.

Brighton Secondary College has stuggled with anti-Semitic bullying.

There has been a growing spate of anti-Jewish incidents in Melbourne over the past week with Jewish people yelled at in the street and spat on in the CBD.

Sarah Hyman told the Herald Sun she was targeted in a racial attack earlier this week in Melbourne’s CBD.

“My cousin FaceTimed me from her bomb shelter in Tel Aviv and a pedestrian heard me say ‘Israel’ and spat on my face,” Ms Hyman said.

“I was in shock. My son goes to a Jewish school and they will not wear school uniforms to identify them as Jews for fear of attack while on excursions.”

Some school principals have begun reaching out to students, including the principal of Carey Grammar who warned that Jewish and Muslim pupils may be affected by public events.

Jonathan Walter wrote to parents encouraging students “to be vigilant when using social media and be informed on how to block or ignore distressing content”.

“Students may also wish to take a break from social media over the coming days,” he said.

Dr Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said he was “outraged by the dramatic surge in disturbing anti-Semitic incidents that have taken place over the last few days”.

He branded the NTEU motion “immoral and vile”.

“The Melbourne Jewish community, heartbroken and shattered about the Hamas massacres of more than 1200 Israelis, now feels under siege in its own city,” he said.

“People are scared. I am outraged by the dramatic surge in disturbing anti-Semitic incidents that have taken place over the last few days in schools, the streets, workplaces, shops, universities and in the online sphere.

“The intensity of such hate should set off the alarm bells. There are Jewish parents on edge wondering if something bad will happen to their kids as they walk into the classroom.”

Dr Abramovich called on the Victorian government and Victoria Police to keep working as they have to ensure that Jewish people are safe and are not harmed.