Sydney synagogues: Penny Sharpe and NSW leaders give anti-terror cops green light to go after attackers

State leaders have moved to reassure the Jewish community that counter-terrorism police have enough resources to track down those behind the latest attack on a synagogue.

Specialist officers on Sunday took over investigation into the previous day’s attack on Newtown Synagogue, in Sydney’s inner west, which was spray-painted with swastikas and targeted with an arson attempt.

The attack marks an escalation in anti-Semitic crime in the state after the recent vandalism of synagogues, cars and houses, especially in Sydney’s east, home to a large Jewish community, the NSW government says.

But acting Premier Penny Sharpe said she was confident counter-terrorism police had the resources and skills to find the latest attack’s perpetrators, who remained at large.

“They bring all of the intelligence that we have about activity that is out there,” she told ABC radio on Monday.

“They are able to co-ordinate at the local level, at the broader level, they’re able to work very closely and do things like release CCTV.”

Hours before the Newtown attack, anti-Semitic graffiti was spray-painted on a house in Queens Park in the city’s east, while on Friday the Southern Sydney Synagogue, in the suburb of Allawah, was vandalised.

The government has promised bolstered security for Jewish institutions and extra resources for the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, a representative body for the community, after the incidents.

Board president David Ossip said it was imperative that the perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes were “swiftly apprehended and receive serious penalties” to deter further incidents.

Ms Sharpe said her message to the Jewish community was: “We stand with you.”

“An attack on you is an attack on all of us and we will not allow it to go unanswered,” she said.

Investigators have released images of two suspects, both wearing black clothing, who they want to speak to over the attack in Newtown.

One suspect was riding a mountain bike and the other had a motorised scooter, police said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government’s action to curb anti-Semitism following the incidents in Sydney and the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue in December.

“I’ve campaigned against racism and anti-Semitism my whole life,” he said.

“We have introduced significant legislation, the first ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols.”

The federal opposition has criticised Labor’s response, claiming the government has failed to strengthen anti-hate laws and been too slow in getting the Australian Federal Police to set up an anti-Semitism task force.

Reported cases of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia have increased in Australia since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023 and Israel launched a war in Gaza in response.