The NSW government has promised improved security for Jewish institutions in the coming weeks after a spate of attacks against the community, including Sydney synagogues.
NSW Police are on the search for a pair alleged to have vandalised a synagogue in the inner west suburb of Newtown, which was spray-painted with the hakenkreuz — the swastika symbol appropriated by Nazis — in the early hours of Saturday.
Police say the two people then attempted to light a ‘clear liquid’ on the premises.
NSW Premier Chris Minns described the incident as “an escalation in antisemitic crime in New South Wales”.
He said the NSW government would put more police resources into preventing such “awful crimes”.
“No one would like or tolerate or put up with this kind of vandalism, this racist vandalism on their house, their place of worship, their school, their community,” Minns said.
Police release images after synagogue attack
Investigators have now released images of two people clad in black clothing they want to speak to over the alleged vandalism in Newtown.
NSW Police released CCTV images after graffiti was found sprayed on a synagogue in Sydney’s inner west on Saturday. Credit: Supplied/NSW Police
NSW Police said one person was seen riding a white and black mountain bike, wearing a black hooded jumper with white writing on the front, black tracksuit pants, white shoes, a black backpack and a white glove on their right hand.
The other had a black motorised scooter and was wearing a black spray jacket with a white emblem, black tracksuit pants, white Asics-branded shoes and gloves, described as possibly being blue and orange.
NSW Police commissioner Karen Webb said authorities are seeking a man and a woman in connection to the incident.
“Two individuals, a male and a female, yet to be identified, have attended that location and placed those markings and had also used a clear liquid that they tried to ignite and self-extinguish within three minutes.”
Webb described the incident as a “very obvious hate crime”.
“This is not just hate. This is malicious, and it’s damage. And it could go to the death of individuals if that fire had taken hold.
“It is important that the community knows that we won’t tolerate it. In the last 24 hours, these matters have now been taken over by counterterrorism command under Strike Force Pearl.”
A spate of antisemitic attacks
Police are also investigating two other separate incidents of antisemitic graffiti in Sydney, including at a home in Queens Park in the city’s east where cars and a trailer were also vandalised.
On Friday, the Southern Sydney Synagogue in Allawah was also vandalised with the hakenkreuz symbol, while police are also investigating offensive comments written on a poster in Marrickville.
There have been a series of antisemitic attacks in Australia in recent months.
In December, the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed in an attack condemned by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other leaders.
David Ossip, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, said it has been a challenging period for the Jewish community.
He said the organisation was working closely with police and the state government to welcome extra resources to help combat such attacks.
“The NSW government has also provided us with additional funding to enhance Jewish communal security and publicly indicated today that they will seek to further strengthen laws dealing with vilification and incitement to violence,” Ossip said.
“The hateful criminals who attacked Newtown Synagogue weren’t just attempting to deface a place of worship, they were seeking to destroy it.
“But we are a strong and resilient community which remains unbowed in the face of continued attempts to intimidate and menace us.”
