‘We are witnessing an anti-Semitism crisis unfold before our eyes’: Man charged with spray painting Star of David, throwing bacon
A man has been charged after allegedly targeting a Middle Park mansion belonging to a member of one of Victoria’s most well-known Jewish families.
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A man has been charged following an anti-Semitic attack on the home of a prominent Jewish family last week.
A 68-year-old Macedon man was arrested and charged on Tuesday after allegedly spray painting the Star of David on the fence of the Middle Park mansion last Friday night.
It is alleged the man also threw a packet of bacon and spat on a passerby who tried to intervene.
Port Phillip Crime Investigation Unit Detectives charged the man with criminal damage, unlawful assault and mark offensive graffiti.
The Macedon man was bailed and was due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 6.
A police spokesman said there was absolutely no place for anti-Semitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour.
“Police will always treat reports of such crime seriously.”
The Beaconsfield Parade mansion is owned by a member of one of the state’s most well-known Jewish families.
The Herald Sun has chosen not to name the family.
Under the Nazi regime, Jewish people were forced to wear the Star of David – a symbol of Jewish identity – to identify themselves, while the star was also painted on Jewish shop fronts.
Zionist Federation of Australia chief executive Alon Cassuto said the attack was “chillingly reminiscent of Nazi Germany”.
“Despite the increasing frequency of these graffiti attacks, the Australian public cannot become complacent; this is not normal and we are witnessing an antisemitism crisis unfold before our eyes,” he said.
By Saturday afternoon, the graffiti had been painted over.
Port Phillip Mayor Louise Crawford said she was “appalled” by the anti-Semitic vandalism.
In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, Ms Crawford said the council had dispatched an emergency response team to remove the graffiti.
“Our closely-knit Jewish community is still reeling from the December arson attack at the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea,” she said.
“While, thankfully, this incident did not involve physical injuries, it is still a cowardly attack targeting Port Phillip’s Jewish community.
“An attack on any group is an attack on our City’s longstanding value of inclusion for all.”
It comes amid soaring anti-Semitism across the country, and after a foiled terror plot in NSW, with Anthony Albanese under pressure to act.
Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg called on the federal government to use the return of parliament this week to crackdown on the “epidemic of Jew Hate”, labelling it a “national crisis”.
“With federal parliament resuming next week, the government must act and stop this domestic terrorism,” he said.
“This is Australia’s fight and we all have a right to be safe.”
The Herald Sun has reached out to the family for comment.
Originally published as ‘We are witnessing an anti-Semitism crisis unfold before our eyes’: Man charged with spray painting Star of David, throwing bacon
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