Counter-terrorism police are now handling all investigations into antisemitic incidents at Jewish religious institutions across Sydney. The latest incident involves a graffiti attack on a synagogue in the city’s inner west, which is now being treated as an act of arson. This afternoon, a man was arrested in Newcastle after allegedly painting a Nazi symbol on the wall of a chemist. A warning: this story includes images of some of the offensive graffiti.
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00:00It's an escalation of an already high-stakes investigation.
00:07In the last 24 hours, these matters have now been taken over by Counterterrorism Command
00:13under Strike Force Pearl.
00:15The Commissioner has labelled Saturday's incident a hate crime.
00:19Two individuals, a male and a female, yet to be identified, had attended that location
00:25and placed those markings, and had also used a clear liquid that they tried to ignite.
00:32It's just the latest in a series of anti-Semitic attacks across eastern Sydney in recent weeks.
00:39This kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable.
00:41It's un-Australian.
00:42It doesn't fit with our values in a democracy.
00:45The Minsk government has extended $340,000 to the Jewish Board of Deputies to help bolster
00:52security across its venues.
00:54The board said in a statement they welcome the significant additional resources.
00:59The Premier reiterated that support today.
01:02I want to make it very clear that the New South Wales Police have a comprehensive criminal
01:07investigation taking place across multiple levels.
01:11But despite this, authorities are yet to find any leads on two people seen in CCTV outside
01:18the Ulloa Synagogue, which was spray-painted with Nazi symbols and messages on Friday.
01:24There is someone out there in the community today who knows who this person is.
01:29You've got an obligation to report that to Crime Stoppers or the New South Wales Police.
01:34The Jewish Council is now calling for greater coordination.
01:38It's one thing for our leader to be committed to fighting for this cause, but we need to
01:42see a whole of society approach.
01:45A call for unity in the face of division.