Opinion: Qld Jews under attack from both far Left and Right

Some protesters choose to ignore the facts about Hamas, instead seeking to intimidate the Jewish community into silence, writes Jason Steinberg.

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg

In late May 2025, within just six days, Queensland’s Jewish community faced two terrifying attacks – one from far-right neo-Nazis, the other from some far-left extremists.

These incidents underscore that antisemitism is not confined to one pole of extremism; it is a persistent, dangerous threat to us all.

On Tuesday, May 27, hateful graffiti appeared on a bridge embankment at Robina on the Gold Coast.

There was a grotesque caricature of a Jewish man (reminiscent of those used in Nazi German propaganda), a large swastika and the chilling words, “Kill all Jews.”

This was no random act of vandalism by kids, but a deliberate, hateful message.

The perpetrators had to cross roads and scale down an embankment to do this.

Someone must have seen who did this, but so far no one has reported details to the police.

This hatred, rooted in centuries of bigotry and stoked by the Nazis, led to the Holocaust. History shows that when extremists start with Jews, it never ends there – spreading fear and division throughout society.

This graffiti is an obvious call to violence that should appal all Queenslanders.

Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, an equally serious threat has emerged from some on the far left, whose hateful actions against the Jewish community echo those of the Nazis.

Just four days after the neo-Nazi graffiti, a Jewish Shavuot celebration in Brisbane was violently disrupted by a group who blocked entry, threw objects, and shouted vile accusations like “All Zionists are terrorists” and “baby killers”.

They bullied and intimidated attendees, only dispersing after Queensland police intervention.

The horror in Gaza is undeniable.

Innocent lives are lost and families shattered.

But the blame lies squarely with Hamas, a terrorist group that targets Israeli civilians while using Palestinian civilians and infrastructure as shields.

They initiated this war on October 7, 2023, murdering more than 1200 civilians and kidnapping 251 people, 59 of whom remain captive after more than 606 days.

Imagine if Australians were held hostage that long?

Yet in Brisbane, the Jewish community is vilified.

The group, some masked and wearing keffiyehs, crossed the line from peaceful protest to harassment and intimidation.

While they claim to oppose Zionism, the event was a purely religious occasion that had nothing to do with Israel.

Their actions targeted Jewish individuals and created a climate of fear – a form of antisemitism that must be recognised and challenged.

Those who attacked Jews in Brisbane are not ignorant.

They have access to the same information as you and me.

They know Hamas uses human shields, suppresses dissent, calls for genocide of Jews, and spends billions on tunnels and weapons for war, not aid.

Yet despite this, some choose to ignore these facts, seeking to intimidate the Jewish community into silence.

This belies the protesters’ claim that they only target Zionists and not Jews.

Studies of Jewish communities in Queensland and all over the world have shown that for the vast majority, Zionism is deeply connected to our identity and represents the collective right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their ancestral homeland – an internationally recognised right for the Jewish people and for all peoples.

Denying this right to the Jewish people alone, among all the nations of the earth, is self-evidently discriminatory, and therefore dehumanising and racist.

This is fundamentally different to criticism of the Israeli Government’s policies and actions.

Antisemitic graffiti at Robina on the Gold Coast

Harassment and attacks on Jewish individuals at protests are not political discourse – they are intimidation and hate.

This behaviour is not isolated – it occurs on campuses, cultural events, workplaces, and abroad, where Jews have been attacked by those shouting “Free Palestine,” a slogan weaponised to justify violence.

Yet most Jews support a free Palestinian state – free from Hamas and terror, living peacefully alongside Israel.

For Jews in Queensland, the past 19 months have been a stark reminder that this is a time in our history, much like Germany in the 1920s, when we need to start becoming even more conscious of our safety and sense of belonging.

Queensland’s Jewish community has thrived here for 160 years.

Like all citizens we have the right to live without fear, to celebrate our festivals, gather safely, and walk our streets free from harassment.

We will keep being resilient and we will keep raising the warning signs.

And we will keep expressing our views, including about Israel, in the same way that everyone else is entitled to do.

These threats demand a united stand from all Queenslanders – leaders, politicians, police and citizens.

We must call out antisemitism in all its forms, whether from far-right walls or far-left radicals, educate ourselves on the Middle East’s complexities, and reject oversimplified narratives and divisive rhetoric.

These attacks are not just against Jews; they strike at the heart of Queensland’s democracy, tolerance and coexistence.

We need action now – let us not wait until it’s too late.

Jason Steinberg is president of the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies

Originally published as Opinion: Qld Jews under attack from both far Left and Right