Jewish leader slams ‘hardcore bigots’ after vile photo emerges

Police are getting involved after a photo of an “abhorrent act” at an Australian Holocaust museum sickened the Jewish community.

A racist photo of men performing an unmistakeable and “vile” racist salute in front of an Australian Holocaust museum has outraged members of the Jewish community.

South Australia Police have confirmed they are investigating a picture showing a group of men performing what is believed to be a fascist salute.

It is understood the image by a group calling themselves the National Socialist Network has been circulating on the messaging platform Telegram.

The gesture the men appear to be performing is the Nazi salute – otherwise known as the Hitler salute or the Sieg Heil – outside the Adelaide Holocaust Museum.

Text accompanying the photo said: “Why a holocaust museum exists in Adelaide is anyone’s guess.”

Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, brought the image to the public’s attention.

He described the incident as an “abhorrent act” which “plunged a dagger into the heart of every survivor”.

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A picture circulating on telegram shows group of men in front of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum.

“(They) have spit on the memory of the six million Jews, and millions of others murdered by the Third Reich,” he said.

“These homegrown Final Solutionists, who are domestic terrorists in waiting, dream of an Australian Hitler at the helm, and fantasise about exterminating Jews.

“The contagion of unvarnished, raw hate that is now defiling Adelaide has reached an ominous pitch fever and is spiralling out of control.”

Dr Abramovich notably spearheaded the push to ban the public displays of the Nazi swastika in recent years, with Victoria and NSW since outlawing the symbol.

He urged South Australia to follow suit.

“This was not just a Heil Hitler salute – it is a frontal assault on our values, and when this type of cruel ugliness comes into full view, it reminds us that there are hardcore bigots in our midst,” he said.

Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A picture circulating on Telegram shows the men in front of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum.

“I repeat my call for the South Australian parliament to pass the law to criminalise the public displays of the Nazi swastika.”

Adelaide Holocaust Museum director Kathy Baykitch described the racist act as “unthinkable”. “Extremist groups are active and organising in online spaces,” she told the Adelaide Advertiser.

“These disgusting acts of racist vandalism bring to the fore the critical importance of supporting the education of young people through our programs.”

Our museum and education programs stand as a counterpoint to hateful ideologies.”

A South Australia Police spokesperson told news.com.au the incident was being investigated.

“SAPOL is aware of an image depicting people in front of the Adelaide Holocaust Museum and continue to investigate this incident,” they said.

And it’s not the only recent of example of neo-Nazi hate at the museum in recent times.

Last month an anti-Semitic sticker was found on the museum’s front door.

The vile image was shared on the Telegram app.

Telegram allows users to send messages, photos, videos and files, and also create groups for up to 200,000 people or channels for broadcasting to unlimited audiences.

The Telegram snapshot shown to news.com.au shows over 4900 people subscribed to the National Socialist Network.

The incident came just days after the Advertiser reported Jewish Adelaide University students were being intimidated on campus after claims of rising anti-Semitism.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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