Jewish families scared for their children amid rising hate

An anti-hate campaigner has warned of rising anti-Semitism after shocking graffiti was found in the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community.

A Jewish man has spoken of his horror after catching a vandal drawing a swastika on a Caulfield South building on the weekend.

He alleged the man left the hate symbol — along with a chilling anti-Semitic message — on a Hawthorn Rd business, in the midst of Melbourne’s Jewish community, on Sunday night.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said he was “so angry that this is happening in our country”.

“I was sick to the stomach to see this man vandalise the shop with this disgusting symbol,” he said.

“This is not right.”

Police are searching for the man after a friend of the witness, who arrived at the scene shortly after, called triple-0.

The building that was vandalised with anti-Semitic graffiti (not pictured). Picture: supplied

The friend followed the man from a distance and saw him also verbally abuse a group of young people, yelling a homophobic slur.

The masthead has chosen not to publish an image of the graffiti.

Anti-Defamation Commission Chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich, who campaigned to ban the hate symbol in Victoria, said there was a “swastika epidemic”.

“There is no denying that we have a major problem of rising anti-Semitism in Victoria,” he said.

“The swastika epidemic … that has reached fever pitch in Melbourne, is only getting worse.”

The anti-hate campaigner said incidents such as these left people within their community concerned for their safety.

Dr Dvir Abramovich at the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial garden, St Kilda has spoken out against rising anti-Semitism. Picture: Stuart McEvoy, The Australian.

“Members of the Jewish community are worried about the children, and with good reason, especially because they have seen what has been happening with anti-Semitism in Europe, and it’s not pretty,” he said.

“We should also be concerned since we know that a belief in the ideology of Nazism can lead to real-life violence.”

A police spokesman said they responded to the triple-zero call on the night and an investigation is ongoing.

“A patrol for the man, who was seen carrying a green shopping bag and had a scooter, failed to locate him,” he said.

“Victoria Police treat any report of anti-Semitism seriously and encourage anyone with information on this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”

Dr Abramovich said he hopes the man is “identified and brought to justice”.

“What does it say that in 2022 there are individuals who brazenly deface a shop, in the heart of the Jewish community, with a symbol that represents the pure evil that led to gas chambers and the extermination of six million Jews and millions of others?”

Laws to ban public displays of hate symbols including the swastika are set to be introduced in Victoria later this year.