National cabinet called on antisemitism

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will convene a meeting of national cabinet about antisemitism today.

The decision follows the antisemitic firebombing of a childcare centre at Maroubra in Sydney's south-east last night. The Only About Children childcare centre which is close to the Maroubra Synagogue was spray painted with "F*** the Jews".

Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal called for a national cabinet last week but the prime minister initially dismissed the idea as "more meetings".

Police told the Sydney Morning Herald this week that they suspect copycat offenders and those “entrenched in criminal activity” may be behind the increasingly frequent and severe antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the attacks were designed to cause “maximum damage and intimidation” and police were investigating whether they were linked.

“A number of our leads include people who are either well known or entrenched in criminal activity... there’s certainly evidence to date that there are people involved in the criminal element who are behind some of these attacks,” McKenna said.

“There’s also a likelihood of there being copycat-style attacks [and] juveniles involved where they probably don’t even realise the significance [of their actions].”

The Australian Federal Police's antisemitism taskforce Operation Avalite is investigating at least 105 antisemitic attacks.

There have been six major antisemitic attacks in Sydney across the past two months. Cars have been torched, buildings vandalised, synagogues graffitied and worshippers threatened. A home formerly occupied by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-executive director Alex Ryvchin was attacked. In Melbourne, the Adass Israel synagogue was destroyed by a firebomb in December.

A woman was charged on Monday in relation to vandalism, firebombing and graffiti in Woollahra and a man was charged last week in relation to death threats.

But there have been no arrests in relation to the Adass synagogue firebombing or most other offences.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the child care incident as 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 through Operation Avalite," he said.

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Albanese bows to pressure to convene national cabinet on antisemitism (ABC)

Police suspect known criminals, copycats behind antisemitic attacks (SMH, paywall)

Childcare centre set alight, graffitied with anti-Semitic words at Maroubra in Sydney's south-east (ABC)