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| Sydney childcare centre set alight and sprayed with antisemitic graffiti | Sydney childcare centre set alight and sprayed with antisemitic graffiti |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| NSW premier Chris Minns says police will track down people behind Maroubra attack and foreshadows new anti-hatred laws | NSW premier Chris Minns says police will track down people behind Maroubra attack and foreshadows new anti-hatred laws |
| More detectives will be assigned to track down the perpetrators of a spate of antisemitic attacks in Sydney after a childcare centre was set alight and targeted with graffiti overnight. | More detectives will be assigned to track down the perpetrators of a spate of antisemitic attacks in Sydney after a childcare centre was set alight and targeted with graffiti overnight. |
| Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that national cabinet would meet later in the day to discuss antisemitism across Australia. The prime minister had earlier visited the childcare centre in Maroubra. | Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that national cabinet would meet later in the day to discuss antisemitism across Australia. The prime minister had earlier visited the childcare centre in Maroubra. |
| The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, denied he had “lost control of the crisis”, while state police confirmed arrests had been made over separate vandalism incidents. | The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, denied he had “lost control of the crisis”, while state police confirmed arrests had been made over separate vandalism incidents. |
| “It is completely disgusting and these bastards will be rounded up by NSW police,” Minns told reporters on Tuesday. | “It is completely disgusting and these bastards will be rounded up by NSW police,” Minns told reporters on Tuesday. |
| The acting NSW police commissioner, Peter Thurtell, said copycat offenders could be partly to blame for the spate of attacks but police were also investigating if some were linked. | The acting NSW police commissioner, Peter Thurtell, said copycat offenders could be partly to blame for the spate of attacks but police were also investigating if some were linked. |
| It is understood investigators believe organised criminal elements could have been involved in some incidents. | |
| Just before 1am on Tuesday, emergency services were called to the Only About Children centre on Storey Street in Maroubra where firefighters extinguished a blaze. | Just before 1am on Tuesday, emergency services were called to the Only About Children centre on Storey Street in Maroubra where firefighters extinguished a blaze. |
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| The building was unoccupied at the time and there were no reports of injuries. | The building was unoccupied at the time and there were no reports of injuries. |
| The words “Fuck the Jews” were spray-painted on an external wall of the centre, which does not have religious affiliations but is close to both the Maroubra Synagogue and the Mount Sinai college. | The words “Fuck the Jews” were spray-painted on an external wall of the centre, which does not have religious affiliations but is close to both the Maroubra Synagogue and the Mount Sinai college. |
| Nick Klein, an accountant who lives two streets from the synagogue, was due to celebrate his son’s barmitzvah there on Saturday. | |
| “It’s very close to home. To smell the fire here, it’s shocking. The fact that it’s a childcare centre – how low can you go?” he said. | “It’s very close to home. To smell the fire here, it’s shocking. The fact that it’s a childcare centre – how low can you go?” he said. |
| “I just think it’s disgusting, it’s a disgrace. These people are deliberately targeting the Jewish community. It’s a crime. It’s clearly a racist crime.” | “I just think it’s disgusting, it’s a disgrace. These people are deliberately targeting the Jewish community. It’s a crime. It’s clearly a racist crime.” |
| The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, said on Tuesday an additional 20 investigators had been allocated to Strike Force Pearl, effectively doubling its investigative capacity. | |
| “I have also significantly increased proactive taskings aimed to disrupt this type of criminal activity around significant sites and places of worship across Sydney,” she said. | |
| “This boost in resources allocated to Strike Force Pearl reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the importance of putting those responsible before the courts as soon as possible. These acts are despicable and have no place in our society.” | “This boost in resources allocated to Strike Force Pearl reflects the seriousness of these crimes and the importance of putting those responsible before the courts as soon as possible. These acts are despicable and have no place in our society.” |
| Separately, the Dover Heights home once owned by Alex Ryvchin – the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – was splashed with red paint on Friday morning. | Separately, the Dover Heights home once owned by Alex Ryvchin – the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – was splashed with red paint on Friday morning. |
| Four cars were damaged, with two set alight. One car was graffitied with the words “Fuck Jews”. | Four cars were damaged, with two set alight. One car was graffitied with the words “Fuck Jews”. |
| Ryvchin said on Tuesday that to firebomb a childcare centre “requires a depth of savagery that is difficult to imagine”. | Ryvchin said on Tuesday that to firebomb a childcare centre “requires a depth of savagery that is difficult to imagine”. |
| “Today, families will be having conversations about whether it’s safe to send their children to the places where they should be safest. Places of worship, homes and now preschools have all been targeted,” he said on X. | “Today, families will be having conversations about whether it’s safe to send their children to the places where they should be safest. Places of worship, homes and now preschools have all been targeted,” he said on X. |
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| “Antisemitism consumes everything. It is the disease that is destroying our country.” | “Antisemitism consumes everything. It is the disease that is destroying our country.” |
| Counter-terrorism police were called in to investigate after a Sydney synagogue was spray-painted with red swastikas earlier this month. There have also been previous attacks on synagogues and suburban streets in Sydney. | Counter-terrorism police were called in to investigate after a Sydney synagogue was spray-painted with red swastikas earlier this month. There have also been previous attacks on synagogues and suburban streets in Sydney. |
| Albanese said on Tuesday: “This is something that people in this great multicultural city of Sydney should never wake up to. This is a place for children and families and it should never have been denigrated by this despicable and horrifying crime.” | Albanese said on Tuesday: “This is something that people in this great multicultural city of Sydney should never wake up to. This is a place for children and families and it should never have been denigrated by this despicable and horrifying crime.” |
| Albanese labelled the attack an “evil hate crime”. | Albanese labelled the attack an “evil hate crime”. |
| “My government will support NSW police to hunt down the offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law,” the prime minister said. | “My government will support NSW police to hunt down the offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law,” the prime minister said. |
| Minns was on Tuesday asked if authorities would consider declaring some of the incidents “terror” attacks. | Minns was on Tuesday asked if authorities would consider declaring some of the incidents “terror” attacks. |
| “Police will not hesitate to make that designation if they believe it’s appropriate to conduct an investigation,” he said. | “Police will not hesitate to make that designation if they believe it’s appropriate to conduct an investigation,” he said. |
| “But right now, we’ve got strong laws in NSW. We’ve got a major police presence. We are putting more resources in.” | “But right now, we’ve got strong laws in NSW. We’ve got a major police presence. We are putting more resources in.” |
| Thurtell said Strike Force Pearl, set up to combat antisemitic vandalism, and Operation Shelter, established after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, would have their resources increased. | |
| Police said 181 people had been arrested under Operation Shelter since October 2023, resulting in 456 charges. Of the 181 people, 36 were charged with antisemitism-related offences, including eight people charged under Strike Force Pearl with 59 offences. | |
| Minns on Tuesday again foreshadowed new legislation to crack down on hate speech, saying that could involve changes to the Sentencing Procedure Act and section 93Z of the Crimes Act. The latter covers the offence of publicly threatening or inciting violence on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. | Minns on Tuesday again foreshadowed new legislation to crack down on hate speech, saying that could involve changes to the Sentencing Procedure Act and section 93Z of the Crimes Act. The latter covers the offence of publicly threatening or inciting violence on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. |
| The federal Coalition on Monday promised tougher penalties and mandatory minimum jail sentences for antisemitic attacks if elected. | The federal Coalition on Monday promised tougher penalties and mandatory minimum jail sentences for antisemitic attacks if elected. |
| – Additional reporting by Emily Wind and Josh Butler | – Additional reporting by Emily Wind and Josh Butler |