Australian anti-Semitic attack: Charges laid after former home of Jewish leader damaged in Dover Heights
An anti-Semitism police taskforce has charged a man they believe was involved in an attack on the former home of a high-profile Jewish community leader.
Cars were set on fire and defaced with anti-Jewish slurs and a house was splashed with red paint in eastern Sydney’s Dover Heights on January 17.
The home was previously owned by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.On Wednesday, police arrested a 37-year-old man and charged him with being an accessory before the fact to property damage via fire or explosion.
The man, along with a 33-year-old male, was also charged with being an accessory to property damage and participating in a criminal group relating to alleged graffiti painted on January 11.
NSW Police allege the duo vandalised five vehicles and two houses with offensive graffiti in Queens Park, in Sydney’s east.
The pair will each face Downing Centre Local Court on April 3.
The development comes after Australia’s top spy chief said he was worried about a recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks across the nation.
Mike Burgess said “festering” anti-Semitism within the community had been brought to the surface after Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks on Israel, and Israel’s brutal retaliation in Gaza.
“Jewish Australians were also increasingly conflated with the state of Israel, leading to an increase in anti-Semitic incidents,” the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general said.
“Narratives originally centred on ‘freeing Palestine’ expanded to include incitements to ‘kill the Jews’ ... threats transitioned from harassment and intimidation to specific targeting of Jewish communities, places of worship and prominent figures.”
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus concurred with his remarks.
“As the director-general said, we need to take the temperature down, we need bipartisanship, we need to end this being used for political purposes,” he told ABC radio on Thursday.
“There is no place in Australia for anti-Semitism, for hatred and the violence that we’ve seen recently.”
Hamas took about 250 hostages and killed 1200 people when it attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli officials.
More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza following Israel’s subsequent invasion, according to Palestinian officials.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
