Western Sydney woman arrested over Woollahra anti-Semitism attack

A 34-year-old woman from western Sydney has been arrested over her alleged involvement in an anti-Semitic attack in the city’s affluent east which saw three buildings graffitied and a car set alight.

Anti-Semitic graffiti sprayed on homes in Magney Street, Woollhara in December. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A western Sydney woman has been charged over her alleged involvement in an anti-Semitic attack in Woollahra last month where three buildings were graffitied and a stolen car was set alight.

The 34-year-old was arrested at her home in Liverpool on Monday morning, with police charging her over her involvement in which the words “kill Israiel” (sic) and “death 2 Israiel” (sic) were scrawled across multiple buildings, and a vehicle was destroyed by fire and another graffitied, causing a damage bill of approximately $20,000.

Police say following her arrest, the woman was taken to Liverpool Police Station and charged with participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, accessory before the fact to destroy or damage property, and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.

The woman has been refused bail and will appear before Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday.

Exclusive CCTV footage obtained by The Australian on the day of the attack showed a dramatic explosion on a backstreet of the prominent Jewish suburb, before a grainy figure runs away from the blaze. It was the second attack within a month in the area.

Exc: CCTV shows fiery Woollahra explosion, grainy figure on the run

Security footage of an anti-Semitic attack in Sydney's east shows a dramatic explosion on a Woollahra backstreet before a grainy figure runs away from the blaze, as police continue to hunt for a pair of young… pic.twitter.com/V41MpoiTCO

— Liam Mendes (@liammendes) December 11, 2024

At the time of the attack, NSW Premier Chris Minns said there was no point in “sugar-coating or downplaying” the rising level of anti-­Semitic attacks in Australia.

“This was specifically designed to, in my view, incite hate and intimidate the Jewish community in Sydney,” he said. “So that’s the first thing we need to do – be clear and unambiguous about the meaning of this crime.”

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb described the attack as “disgusting” and said the police had been given extra resources to hold the offenders responsible.

“A full police response is under way and it commenced immediately with local regional and terrorism police being called out last night,” Commissioner Webb said.

Anthony Albanese “unequivocally” condemned the incident, and said he would receive a briefing from an Australian Federal Police group tasked with investigating acts of anti-Semitism

The arrest comes three days after the former family home of Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin was subjected to a paint spray gun attack and had two cars doused in petrol and set alight, part of a long spate of attacks on Jewish communities across the nation.

In late November, two men were arrested and charged following another attack in Woollahra, in which “f..k Israel” was smeared across nine cars, as well as apartment buildings and Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant.