More detectives will be deployed to find the perpetrators of anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney after a child care center was set on fire and targeted with graffiti overnight.
Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday the national cabinet would meet at a later date to discuss anti-Semitism across Australia. The Prime Minister had earlier visited a child care center in Maroubra.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns denied he had “lost control of the crisis”, while state police confirmed arrests had been made over separate incidents of vandalism.
“This is absolutely disgusting and these bastards will be arrested by NSW Police,” Minns told reporters on Tuesday.
Acting NSW Police Commissioner, Peter Thurtell, said copycat criminals may be partly to blame for many of the attacks, but police were also investigating whether certain people were linked.
Thurtell confirmed a 34-year-old woman has been arrested and will face court on Tuesday for allegedly being a “key player” in an incident in Woollahra in mid-December.
“We are alleging that she was part of a criminal group that was involved in this,” he said.
“Let me emphasize this… these people are not just people who have inclination towards a particular caste or religion. These are criminals who seek to destroy our society and we, as the NSW Police Force, will do whatever it takes to ensure these people are arrested.
Just before 1pm on Tuesday, emergency services were called to the Only About Children center on Storey Street in Maroubra, where firefighters extinguished the blaze.
The building was empty at the time and there were no reports of anyone being injured.
The words “Fuck the Jews” were spray-painted on the outside wall of the centre, which has no religious affiliation but is close to both the Maroubra Synagogue and Mount Sanai College.
Nick Klein, an accountant who lives two streets from the synagogue, was scheduled to celebrate his son’s bar mitzvah on Saturday.
“It’s very close to home. The smell of fire here is shocking. The fact that it’s a child care center – how low can you go?” He said.
“I just think it’s disgusting, it’s insulting. These people are deliberately targeting the Jewish community. This is a crime. This is clearly a racist crime.”
Separately, a Dover Heights home owned by Alex Rivchin – co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – was sprayed with red paint on Friday morning.
Four cars were damaged, including two that were burnt. One car had the words “Fuck the Jews” written on it.
Anti-terrorism police were also called in to investigate after a Sydney synagogue was spray-painted with a red swastika earlier this month. There have been previous attacks on synagogues and suburban streets in Sydney.
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Albanese said on Tuesday: “This is something that the people of this great multicultural city of Sydney must never wake up to. This is a place for children and families and should never be tarnished by this despicable and horrible crime.
Albanese described the attack as a “vicious hate crime”.
“My government will support NSW Police to capture criminals and ensure they face the full force of the law,” the Prime Minister said.
Minns was asked Tuesday whether officials would consider declaring some incidents as “terrorist” attacks.
“If the police feel it is appropriate to conduct an investigation, they will not hesitate to give the designation,” he said.
“But right now, we’ve got stronger laws in NSW. We have a large number of police forces present. “We are devoting more resources.”
Thurtell said there would be an increase in resources for Strike Force Pearl – which was set up to combat anti-Semitic vandalism – and Operation Shelter – which was set up after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
“Since October 2023 we have arrested more than 180 people under Operation Shelter… 40 of them for specific anti-Semitic crimes. Eight of them have been arrested by Strike Force Pearl in connection with the arson attacks,” said the acting police commissioner.
Minns again on Tuesday introduced new legislation to crack down on hate speech and said it could include changes to section 93Z of the Sentencing Act and Crimes Act. The latter includes the crime of publicly threatening or inciting violence on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.
The federal Coalition promised tougher penalties for anti-Semitic attacks and mandatory minimum prison sentences if elected on Monday.
-Additional reporting by Emily Wind and Josh Butler