Just after 3.20am, six masked people started smashing my office

Just after 3.20am on Wednesday, six people wearing black masks turned up outside my electorate office in St Kilda. They brought red paint in spray cans and fire hydrants, and hammers and kerosene.

They inspected two small underground electrical channels before they poured kerosene into them, smashed the windows of our office with their hammers, sprayed the inside and outside with red paint, and then lit two fires.

Police investigate a fire and criminal damage at Labor MP Josh Burns’ electoral office.Credit: AAPIMAGE

They also drew horns on a picture of my face in the window, referencing antisemitic tropes I never thought I would be subjected to in this country or any other. For the Jewish community here, such images bring back the worst kind of historical memories of their families’ shopfronts being smashed and targeted.

These vandals also burned the doors to the residential apartments above my office – putting lives and livelihoods at serious risk.

This attack wasn’t sophisticated. But it was premeditated, reckless and dangerous.

It made the news. It got headlines. Aside from trying to intimidate me, a Jewish MP, I’m sure that’s exactly what they wanted.

Federal Labor member for Macnamara Josh Burns addresses the media after the attack.Credit: AAP

This attack made my staff feel unsafe. They were prevented from being able to help the people of Macnamara access the government services they need, such as Centrelink, the Department of Immigration, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

And it demonstrated that more and more, offices of parliamentarians are targets of violence, committed by people who disagree with the political position of the office-holder.

There is a difference between writing chalk slogans on a footpath calling for “Climate Action Now” or “Free Julian Assange”, and engaging in criminal acts that incite hatred and vilify over race and religion.

Regardless, and most importantly, here is what the vandalism on my office did not do.

It did not bring peace in the Middle East one inch closer.

It did not return Israeli hostages.

It did not help the suffering of the Palestinian people.

It did not help anything at all.

One cannot be for peace in the Middle East, while acting violently here in Australia.

Personally, the dream of seeing peace between the Israelis and Palestinians is part of who I am. As a Jewish person, it is not a political issue I choose to follow; it has plagued my family for generations.

As a Jewish person, I don’t control – nor condone – what happens in the Middle East. As a member of parliament, I can’t click my fingers and end this war. However, as an Australian and as a leader, I can say loudly and clearly that I reject the binary way which debate has played out in our community. The conflict in the Middle East will not end because of discriminatory and intimidatory actions here.

I refuse to accept that believing in self-determination of the Palestinian people conflicts with the self-determination of the Jewish people, and I refuse to accept that debate in Australia needs to be in absolutes. We have the responsibility to engage in political debate in the Australian way – with respect, civility and passion. We can reject the politics of blame, intimidation and violence.

We can hold a shared humanity that recognises the terrible atrocities committed against the Israeli people on October 7 while also recognising the devastating humanitarian crisis being suffered by the Palestinian people.

Multiculturalism changed my family’s destiny. My grandparents left war-torn Europe to come to Australia for freedom and security. They got that and so much more. Australia, for my family, gave us a sense of belonging, opportunity and dignity.

The Australia that I grew up in was one that celebrated this multiculturalism, where the Jewish community could express themselves freely; where we could proudly walk down the street, not thinking about where we were, but just participate freely in Australian life. Today, that is not the case.

Jewish Australians now constantly question how they present themselves in public, fearful of how other members of the community may respond.

Do I wear a yarmulke (head covering)?

Do I wear items that visibly show that I’m Jewish?

Do I wear my school uniform?

Do I attend university?

That’s a terrible thing for any people, for any Australian, to be experiencing.

And I know the Jewish community is not the only community feeling isolated and experiencing prejudice. When one community is made to feel unsafe, everyone is unsafe.

After waking up to six people smashing in my office, it is clearer than ever that our problem is not on the other side of the world, it is here. It is in what we can control.

Yes, we must continue to call for an end to the war between the Israelis and Palestinians. But, today most importantly, we must confront the problems we have influence over – the disintegration in political discourse, our civility towards each other and the way we discuss hard issues.

Suffering is not a competition, and we are stronger for seeing the needs of others in these difficult days. I fear this ongoing escalation of violent behaviour will end up with someone getting seriously hurt, or worse.

That’s not the Australia I love, nor is it the Australia that we all collectively want to live in.

Josh Burns is the federal MP for Macnamara, in Melbourne’s inner-south.

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