Child Care Center in Sydney Targeted in Latest Antisemitic Attack

The center, located near a Jewish school and synagogue, was set on fire and defaced with hateful graffiti.

SYDNEY — A child care center in eastern Sydney was set on fire early Tuesday morning in what authorities are calling the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks targeting the Jewish community in Australia. Police confirmed that the building, situated near a Jewish school and synagogue, suffered significant damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported following the attack, which occurred around 1 a.m. local time.

This marks the second antisemitic incident in Sydney within just four days, adding to a growing list of similar crimes in the city. New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns condemned the attack, vowing that the perpetrators would be caught. He assured the public that more resources were being allocated to investigate hate crimes, amid increasing frustration over the lack of arrests in previous antisemitic incidents.

“The kind of people who would attack a fellow Australian because of their race or religion are completely disgusting, and these bastards will be rounded up by the police,” Minns stated during a media briefing.

Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents have surged in Australia since Israel's military response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to widespread violence, and Sydney has been a focal point of these hate crimes, with at least half a dozen reported in the past two months alone.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack as “a vicious crime,” and with a national election looming by May, antisemitism has become a key issue in the political landscape. Albanese’s handling of these attacks has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who argue that more needs to be done to prevent hate crimes.

In response, the Australian Federal Police have set up a task force dedicated to investigating threats and acts of violence against the Jewish community. The task force made its first arrest last week, charging a 44-year-old man with making death threats against members of a Jewish organization.