A surge in antisemitic attacks in Australia, including arson and vandalism against Jewish homes, schools, and synagogues, has prompted a unified response from lawmakers. The country has seen a dozen arrests and hundreds of charges related to antisemitic crimes since October 2023, coinciding with the Hamas attacks on Israel. New hate crime legislation, approved almost unanimously, aims to deter and punish perpetrators. The attacks have sparked debate about their origins, with some pointing to foreign influence and others highlighting the role of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia, with a dozen arrests for vandalizing or setting homes, schools, and synagogues on fire since October and hundreds more charged in just over a year with crimes targeting Jews.
– Firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue, with one person hurt. Defacement of another with Nazi symbols and pro-Palestine graffiti– The former home of a prominent Jewish leader sprayed with graffitiCounter-terrorism officials have arrested 12 people in connection with those crimes. Nearly 200 more have been charged since October 2023 in the state of New South Wales – where Sydney is located – with crimes linked to antisemitism, police say.
In tense public debates echoing those in the United States and elsewhere, right-leaning lawmakers and some Jewish leaders – among them Peter Wertheim from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – have accused pro-Palestinian demonstrators, particularly “progressives” and university students, he said, of fueling the crimes.
Albanese´s center-left government on Thursday approved measures in the House of Representatives that will create new and bolstered hate crime offences protecting a raft of characteristics, including race, religion and gender. Another was the shock of such hate in a country far from the Middle East where a small community of Jews – fewer than 120,000 people, or about 0.5% of the population – has lived relatively peacefully, said Wertheim.
ANTISEMITISM AUSTRALIA HATE CRIMES HAMAS LAWS
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Australian Open Women's Champions1922 Mall Molesworth, Australia 1923 Mall Molesworth, Australia 1924 Sylvia Lance, Australia 1926 Daphne Akhurst, Australia
Read more »
VAM Expands Globally with New Australia/New Zealand OfficeVarious Artists Management (VAM) continues its international growth by establishing a new office in Sydney, Australia. Arwen Hunt, VAM's head of Australia/New Zealand, will lead the office, overseeing the company's talent agency, label, and publishing activities. Hunt brings extensive experience in the music industry, having worked as an artist manager, A&R, music publisher, label manager, product manager, and promoter. VAM CEO David Bianchi expressed confidence in Hunt's leadership and highlighted the strategic importance of expanding into Australia/New Zealand due to the region's business potential and access to Asia.
Read more »
Mythic Quest Season 4 Trailer Released: New Challenges and Hilarious HijinksThe new Mythic Quest season tackles modern gaming issues while delivering its signature workplace comedy.
Read more »
Utah Lawmaker Tackles Sextortion with New BillA Utah lawmaker is taking action against sextortion by introducing a bill to amend state statute and include counterfeit intimate images. The bill comes after a victim's mother gave gut-wrenching testimony about her son's suicide, allegedly driven by sextortion.
Read more »
Goosebumps Series Tackles New Mystery in Season 2The second season of the 'Goosebumps' series will follow fraternal twins Devin and Cece as they adjust to life with their recently divorced father while uncovering a mystery connected to four teenagers who vanished in 1994. The show will blend throwback songs from 1994 with current hits.
Read more »
New San Francisco Mayor Lurie Tackles City's Challenges with Tenderloin VisitNewly inaugurated San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie began his term by addressing pressing issues facing the city, including homelessness, drug use, and public safety. In a symbolic gesture, he visited the Tenderloin District, one of San Francisco's most troubled neighborhoods, serving breakfast at St. Anthony's and walking through the area with Police Chief Bill Scott. Residents shared their hopes for improvement, emphasizing the need for better opportunities, services, and resources to combat homelessness and drug activity.
Read more »