Neo-Nazi slogans deface ACT Senate candidate’s signs
Signs for Independent ACT candidate for the senate Kim Rubenstein have been defaced with antisemitic slogans.
In a statement, she said: “I was alerted to some of my signs being defaced with two printed pieces of paper attached with antisemitic slurs. One read “Vote 1 Kosher Kim” with two yellow stars and another read “Shoah Your Support”.
This was hurtful to see, of course. For those unaware, ‘Shoah’ is the Hebrew word for the Holocaust, and Jews were forced to wear yellow stars in Germany under the Nazis.
I’ve got a pretty thick skin and was warned this could happen. But I’m writing this as a reminder that we must be vigilant against any behaviour that seeks to vilify people for their religion, race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.
I will always defend freedom of speech and people’s right to their own opinion. But free speech can’t be a free pass for hatred. And with that freedom comes a responsibility to do so peacefully and respectfully.
We can disagree without harming or belittling each other, and we can have our say without racist, bigoted attacks.
I’ll be out campaigning again today, fighting for unity over division – and hope over fear.”
Co-CEO of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry Peter Wertheim told J-Wire: “It goes to show that antisemites can come from any part of the political spectrum”, said Peter Wertheim, the co-CEO of the Jewish community’s national peak body, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. “The individuals who resort to these tactics demean our democracy and show themselves to be cowards who cannot face others in open political debate. Instead, they take refuge behind anonymous, antisemitic bullying and harassment. This is a relatively new, and utterly loathsome, intrusion into the political process.’
Similar Nazi-based slogans have defaced electoral signs posted on behalf of treasurer Josh, Frydenberg and incumbent Labor MP for Macnamara Josh Burns.
Similar neo-Nazi signs for Frydenberg’s opponent for Kooyong Monique Ryan and Informed Medical Options Party ACT candidate Michael Simms have also been similarly defaced. Neither candidate is Jewish.
