A Victorian man has been charged after allegedly making death threats and antisemitic comments to a federal MP.
The 41-year-old allegedly used social media to threaten the MP, who police didn’t name, from January 7 to February 19.
Australian Federal Police raided the man’s house in Officer yesterday, seizing an electronic device and hitting him with two Commonwealth Charges.
The arrest came out of AFP Special Operation Avalite, which uses officers and analysts to investigate allegations of urging violence against members of groups, doxxing, unlawful display of prohibited symbols and advocating terrorism or genocide.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said the operation would continue to tirelessly investigate antisemitic conduct, including threats to elected officials.
“Anyone engaging in this type of deplorable behaviour can expect a knock on the door and a swift date with the courts,” Nutt said.
“No one, be they an elected representative or member of the public, should have to endure vile, villainous threats based on their race, religion or ethnicity.
“We will not stand by and let antisemitism run rife through the Australian community.”
The 41-year-old was charged with one count of using a carriage service to menace and one count of threatening to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth public official, which respectively carry maximum sentences of five and seven years’ imprisonment, if found guilty.
He is due to face Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on June 19.
