A Sydney home has been graffitied with anti-semitic and homophobic symbols, on the eve of the holiest day for the Jewish community.
On Monday, September 25, a house in Kensington was covered with the cryptic symbols and messages. The brick home was spray painted with Nazi swastikas, the word “gay”, the Star of David and the Chinese symbol for “sky” or “day.”
A message in german was also spray painted on the garage door, and translated to “after the rain comes the sun.”
Aimed To “Instil Fear”
Located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Kensington has a large Jewish community. The attack comes on the eve of Yom Kippur, one of the biggest days in the Jewish calendar.
Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, spoke to the Herald regarding the incident and the rise in anti-semitic attacks.
“This graffiti has appeared in the eastern suburbs which is home to a substantial Jewish community and occurred on the eve of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar,” said Ryvchin.
“The intent is to instil fear in our community. But they will fail. Tens of thousands of Australians will mark Yom Kippur as we have done for thousands of years,” Ryvchin continued.
Ryvchin noted the attack represents an “increasing brazenness of neo-Nazis” and “hatred” growing in Australia.
NSW Police have been made aware of the incident and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Rise In Neo-Nazi Attacks
The attack on the Kensington home, follows a similar attack in Melbourne last week. Black graffiti covered an Altona building with messages blaming Jewish people for the pandemic.
These have been some of the latest neo-nazi attacks continuing to target Jewish and LGBTQI communities.
Many LGBTQI events, including drag story time and rallies, have been disrupted by neo-nazi groups across Australia.
Last year, the NSW Government passed laws making public displays of Nazi symbols illegal “without reasonable excuse.”
The legislation says a reasonable excuse for the symbol’s display includes artistic, academic purposes, or for purposes in the public interest.