Video shows hooded figures walking to scene of anti-Israel attack in Sydney
The grainy footage captures the pair walking in the darkness at 12.22am, just minutes before a car was torched and nine others vandalised in the Jewish area of Woollahra.
The arson and vandalism attack on a prominent Jewish neighbourhood in Sydney marks a new and dangerous chapter in the nation’s history according to community leaders who have slammed the Albanese government for “inaction” over the rise of anti-Semitism.
As police ramped up the hunt for the perpetrators of the crime, in which a car was torched and nine others spray-painted with anti-Israel graffiti, former prime minister John Howard also condemned Anthony Albanese’s response to anti-Semitism, saying it had contributed to the attitudes behind the Woollahra attacks.
“The Prime Minister has said we should not import things from overseas, but it’s much more than just that,” Mr Howard told The Australian, describing the rampage as a “naked piece of anti-Semitism”.
“It would have helped a great deal if the Prime Minister had been more immediate and definitive and pugnacious in his response to anti-Semitism in this country.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Albanese said there was no place for anti-Semitism in Australia, describing the attack as “disturbing” and “deeply troubling”.
“Conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home,” he said. “I have trust in our law enforcement agencies to deal with this.”
But in a sharp escalation of their criticism, Jewish leaders expressed outrage at the government’s handling of the rising tide of anti-Semitism.
“Australians have had a gutful of this,” said Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin. It’s a time for strong leadership, decisive police action and to put an end to this nonsense once and for all.
“The only way this will stop is through decisive police and political action. When you see people holding aloft the portraits of terrorist leaders on the streets with little or no police action, when you see someone who lit the electorate office of a Jewish MP in Melbourne get a slap on the wrist and nothing more, that sends a signal … that they can get away with these sorts of things.
“The only way to counter terrorism, extremism and fanaticism is through strength and through force, and we’re not seeing enough of that at the moment.”
Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich called for a national plan to combat the rising scourge of anti-Semitism and demanded that “all elected leaders must condemn this evil”.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossi said there could be no tolerance for criminal behaviour “which undermines social cohesion and is antithetical to the Australian values we all hold dear”.
In an unusual intervention, the Israeli embassy in Australia issued a statement declaring “words are no longer enough” and calling for urgent action in the wake of the attack.
“We stand with the Jewish community and call for immediate measures to protect and uphold the rights and safety of all citizens,” the embassy said.
Police and fire crews arrived quickly at the scene of the attack in the early hours of Thursday morning after receiving multiple reports of a car on fire.
But video of two hooded figures at the scene, obtained by The Australian, raised further questions about how the perpetrators were able to roam the streets of a prominent Jewish neighbourhood vandalising cars and buildings for so long without being discovered.
One of the figures in the footage appeared to be carrying a bag or jerry can.
A large number of cars in surrounding streets were spray-painted with the words “f..k Israel”, causing an estimated $70,000 in damage.
The door of a unit complex in Ocean St was also graffitied as was Matt Moran-owned restaurant Chiswick. The celebrated restaurateur arrived at the premises on Thursday morning, grim-faced, to inspect the damage.
Mr Moran told The Australian: “It’s incredibly disappointing to see this amount of vandalism – there’s no place for it in our community. We are co-operating with the relevant authorities in their investigation.”
The restaurant had been cleaned and would open as normal, he said.
Some cars were also tagged with the words “PKK is coming”, possibly a reference to the Kurdish separatist group fighting for autonomy from Turkey. The group is designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia.
The Turkish embassy is located in Ocean St, Woollahra, close to the scene of the arson attack.
The Federation of Democratic Kurdish Society of Australia released a statement condemning “this senseless and violent act of anti-Semitism”.
“The Kurdish nation has a historical bond with the Jewish nation and we support our Jewish community during this difficult moment,” the statement said.
Police requested anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward, and set up Strike Force Mylor to track down those responsible, declaring “hate crime will not be tolerated”.
Forensic teams cordoned off several crime scenes. Police said “a number of exhibits” had been left at the scene by the offenders.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said “the anti-Semitic attack in Woollahra last night was absolutely deplorable. It is unacceptable, un-Australian, and it will not be tolerated.”
Local resident Elliott Spira, a member of the Jewish community who woke to find cars vandalised on his doorstep, said he was “sad and disappointed but not surprised” by the attack.
“There hasn’t been a strong message from the Labor government. Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong, they’ve really emboldened (the perpetrators) and haven’t taken a strong enough position against this type of behaviour, that you can do this sort of thing and get away with it.
“It’s a big middle finger right at you, and not a great feeling. I’m worried about what it will be like for my boy growing up.”
Additional reporting:
Ellie Dudley
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