Premiers from states on opposite sides of the country have promised those behind antisemitic will be punished, after more graffiti was uncovered.
NSW Premier Chris Minns today vowed to “throw the book” at those behind a spate of incidents in Sydney as Western Australia Premier Roger Cook accused the culprits in his state of trying to “sow division and hatred in our community”.
On a federal level, the government today imposed sanctions against an online neo-Nazi network amid reports of an independent push to beef up hate speech laws.
Minns vowed to take action amid multiple incidents across Sydney’s east over the past few months.
“If you’ve committed this offence, we are going to throw the book at you,” Minns said.
This morning locals in Bondi responded in prayer with a steely determination to rally on.
“We can’t be afraid. On our own land, in our own backyard, there’s zero tolerance for it, and we won’t be afraid,” Dovi Meyer said.
“We can’t be afraid. On our own land, in our own backyard, there’s zero tolerance for it, and we won’t be afraid,” Dovi Meyer said.
The hate continues to spread in other parts of the nation with antisemitic graffiti reported in Byron Bay and Perth.
The residents of a home in Langford in the WA capital’s south-east found a swastika painted by their driveway on Friday in what they believed was a random attack.
An antisemitic message scrawled on a bus stop in Dianella labelled Labor “Nazis”.
WA Premier Roger Cook accused the culprits of trying to “sow division and hatred in our community”.
An investigation remains under way into neo-Nazi graffiti scrawled on walls and signs in Dalkieth at the weekend.
“We know that the police intelligence unit are on top of this – they have a number of leads that they are pursuing and they will stop at nothing until these thugs are apprehended,” Cook said.
WA Liberal leader Libby Nettam said, “What we must all do is ensure that there is no place for antisemitism in any form across our society”.
From next month, displaying a Nazi symbol and performing a salute will attract a maximum fine of $24,000 and up to five years behind bars under new WA laws.
Anyone convicted could be jailed for up to 10 years for using or dealing with the platform.
Independent MP Allegra Spender will reportedly today put a proposal to parliament calling on both major parties to strengthen draft laws criminalising incitement to violence – but not serious vilification.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the crossbench proposal would impose criminal penalties on people who promote hatred over race, religion, gender and other factors.
