Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (second from right) and Rabbi Shlomo Kohn (far right) visiting the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Dec 10. PHOTO: AFP
SYDNEY - Two suspects daubed anti-Israel graffiti and torched a car in a Sydney suburb on Dec 11, police said, sparking “outrage” from Australia’s government days after a Melbourne synagogue was set ablaze.
Police said they were seeking two men believed to be in their late teens who were “disguised” and seen running from the scene in the early hours.
The offenders burnt the car they had been driving, and spread graffiti over the burnt car, another vehicle, two buildings and a footpath, New South Wales state police said.
Images on local media showed the misspelled phrase “Kill Israiel” sprayed in black on a white wall in the eastern suburb of Woollahra, which has a long-established Jewish community.
A contractor painted over the graffiti soon afterwards.
“The incident in Sydney is an outrage and another anti-Semitic attack,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
“I stand with the Jewish community and unequivocally condemn this attack. There is no place for hatred or anti-Semitism in our country.”
The Australian leader said he would be briefed by a federal police task force that was set up this week to investigate anti-Semitic attacks.
Mr Albanese had toured the charred remains of the Melbourne synagogue the day before, urging the country to unite in the face of the “evil” arson attack.
Designed to ‘terrorise’
Counter-terror police are hunting for three suspects believed to be responsible for setting fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Dec 6.
The synagogue blaze was met with international condemnation, including from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused the Australian government of harbouring “anti-Israel sentiment”.
The war in Gaza has sparked protests from supporters of Israel and Palestinians in cities around Australia, as in much of the world.
A body representing Australia’s Jewish community said the Sydney graffiti and car burning was designed to “terrorise”.
“How long will this continue and with what horrors will it end?“ asked Mr Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
“We ask that you stand with us. March with us. Don’t let this evil tear our country to pieces.”
The New South Wales state premier, Chris Minns, said the Sydney incident was “shocking”.
“This is not the Sydney we want. These racist attempts to divide our city will not work,” the premier said.
The perpetrators “will be found and they will face the full force of the law”, he said. AFP
Rates of youth radicalisation are climbing everywhere, and here’s what to look out for
Young people involved in one-fifth of Australian terrorism cases, says intelligence chief
Australia
Race issues
Terrorism
Israel