Charge for threats to teens on Israeli flag in Sydney’s east

A man has been charged in Sydney after a video circulated showing someone allegedly intimi­dating and threatening to kill four Jewish teenagers who displayed an Israeli flag on their car.

A man allegedly intimidates and threatens four teenage boys who appeared to be about to tie an Israeli flag to their car in Sydney‘s east.

A man has been charged in Sydney after a video circulated showing someone allegedly intimi­dating and threatening to kill four Jewish teenagers who displayed an Israeli flag on their car.

The charge comes as Melbourne police conclude an investigation into allegations a group of young men in South Yarra was making threats to the Jewish community, with the unrelated matter now resolved.

The incidents occurred amid heightened ethnic tensions in Australia following the brutal attack on Israel by the Palestinian extremist group Hamas, which left more than 1000 Israeli men, women and children dead, including an Australian grandmother.

Police are investigating a video that shows a man in a high-vis vest and black cap allegedly intimidating a group of young Jewish teenagers near a car at Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s eastern suburbs about 6.30pm on Monday. “Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were notified and commenced an investigation,’’ NSW police said.

The man was charged on Wednesday night and will appear in court on Thursday.

NSW police said: “Following inquiries, a 23-year-old man attended Liverpool Police Station, where he was charged with stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm.

“He was refused bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court via audio-visual link tomorrow (Thursday).”

Investigations are ongoing.

The Israeli flag.

In the video, a man is seen advancing towards the teenagers on Bellevue Road, and ordering them to put the blue-and-white Israeli flag back into their car.

He swears at them repeatedly, and tells them “I swear if I f..king see youse with that flag I’ll f..king kill youse all’.’

As the teenagers comply with his demand, he adds “I’m telling youse right now, all of youse’’ and walks away.

In an unrelated incident in Melbourne, police were investigating reports a group of young men in a car spoke to a man, asking where they could find some Jews. According to a text circulated widely in the Jewish community in Melbourne, the group of young men, described as a “car full of Arab boys’’, had said they were on a hunt to find Jews to kill.

The verbal exchange happened on Tuesday on the corner of Williams Street and Toorak Road in the affluent Melbourne suburb of South Yarra, a block from the busy South Yarra train station, about 4pm.

In the text message, a Jewish community member said they had received the following communication, and asked that it be shared with family and friends.

“A guy just had a car full of Arab boys ask him to wind down his car window and they asked him if he knows where any Jews are?,’’ it reads.

“The guy replied no and then asked why? A guy in the back said we’re on the hunt to kill Jews.

“This was 10 minutes ok (sic).

“The man made a report with csg (Community Security Group) and the police.

“These guys look very scary. Less than 30 years old. Everyone look after themselves. This happened at the corner of Williams St & Toorak road.’’

The message ends by noting the men were travelling in a black Honda, and included the registration number of the vehicle.

While a number of claims were made on social media that the group had been arrested, Victoria Police said this was not the case.

Late on Wednesday Victoria Police said the matter had been resolved. “Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives have investigated reports of anti-­Semitic threats made in South Yarra on Tuesday, 10 October,’’ a spokeswoman said. “Police have spoken to the parties involved and after a thorough investigation, the matter has been determined to the satisfaction of the reporting person.

“Victoria Police is committed to investigating any anti-Semitic or hate-based behaviour or incidents of this nature and stress there is absolutely no place in our society for such acts.”

Police would give no further details. It’s understood the man who reported the incident did not wish for further action to be taken.

A spokeswoman for the Jewish Community Council of Victoria said: “Victoria Police was responsive and worked to ensure there was no immediate threat to the Jewish community.’’