A childcare centre near a synagogue in the Maroubra neighbourhood of Sydney, Australia, was set on fire on Tuesday, after vandals spray-painted anti-Jewish graffiti on its walls.
Authorities reported no injuries, but the building sustained extensive damage. Although the centre does not have a religious affiliation, its proximity to several Jewish institutions raised concerns in the ongoing spike of antisemitic crimes, reports The Times of Israel.
This arson follows a series of targeted attacks in Sydney and Melbourne since the Israel-Hamas war began on 7 October 2023. One Melbourne synagogue fire in December left a worshipper with burns, and multiple cars and properties have been destroyed in separate incidents. Acting New South Wales Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell announced an increase in resources for “Strike Force Pearl,” which investigates antisemitic offences. “We already have significant resources, but incidents like this highlight the fact that we need to keep putting them in to ensure these offenders are identified,” Thurtell said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the recent assault as “a vicious crime” and convened a national cabinet meeting to address the rise in antisemitic hate crimes. He called it an opportunity for both state and federal leaders to coordinate their responses. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns acknowledged that he “can’t promise the end of this kind of violence,” but stressed that police are actively arresting perpetrators. So far, nine suspects have been arrested and charged over antisemitic incidents in Sydney alone, with more people facing charges in relation to other attacks on Jewish targets.
Authorities linked the wave of incidents to heightened tensions after the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated. Community leaders say an increased police presence around synagogues and Jewish neighbourhoods has helped mitigate the threat, but fear remains prevalent among Australian Jews, who represent about 0.46% of the country’s population. The government notes that Australia houses one of the largest Holocaust survivor communities on a per capita basis, underscoring the deep concern within Jewish circles over rising antisemitism.
Photo credit: Steve Markham / AAP Image via Reuters
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