Swastikas plastered on gate of aged care housing Holocaust survivors
The neo-Nazi Antipodian Resistance organisation has posted swastikas at the entrance of the Emmy Monash Aged Care in Melbourne, home to elderly Jewish community members including Holocaust survivors, in the heartland of the Victorian Jewish community in Caulfield.
Photo supplied: ADC
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has been monitoring the activities of the clandestine Antipodian Resistance for years now.
The antisemitic, anti-Asian, anti-immigration and homophobic far-right group have become more active and brazen over the past twelve months.
Anton Block, President of the ECAJ, stated, “The members of Antipodean Resistance see themselves as some kind of elite, the would-be dictators of Australia. In truth, they are cowards of the lowest moral quality. They hide behind their anonymity and, as this latest incident reveals, are prepared to sink as low as targeting the elderly and the infirm, and tormenting aged Holocaust survivors in their twilight years. The authorities need to crack down and prosecute them
for inciting genocide and other forms of racially-motivated violence.”
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission added “We are outraged by this latest attack made all the more despicable as there are Holocaust survivors living in this aged-care home who lost family relatives and suffered under Hitler’s regime. I am sure that it would be painful and horrifying for them and for their families to hear about the public displays of neo-Nazism in Caulfield, which they probably thought they would never see in their own lifetime.
These cowardly and evil acts of vandalism, which are an affront to all Victorians, need to end now. There is no place
in our community for such stomach-churning hate, and we must turn this disturbing incident, and the others we have witnessed over the last few days, into a moment of resolve. This assault on our way of life comes amid mounting concerns about antisemitism in Australia which has seen the largest single-year increase on record, and we call on
all leaders to offer a full-throated condemnation of this surge in prejudice. We hope that the police investigates this crime vigorously and brings those responsible to justice.”
Julie Nathan, who closely monitors and analyses the neo-Nazi group, as part of her producing ECAJ’s annual Antisemitism Report which analyses antisemitism from all sources.
She told J-Wire: “The real danger of Antipodean Resistance is not in its vile and genocidal propaganda, especially against Jews and homosexuals, or its targeting of innocent Australian youth as recruits. The real danger is in its propensity for violence as seen in its propaganda, its connections overseas to proscribed terrorist groups and in the publications it promotes. All of these espouse violence, including murder and terrorism.”
Jennifer Huppert, President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria has responded, “I know that seeing stickers and posters with swastikas is very distressing for the Jewish community, in particular survivors of the Shoah and their families, and it is appalling that groups such as Antipodean Resistance are active in Australia.”
She added, “It is of great concern that there has been a significant increase in reports of antisemitism in Victoria in recent times.”
I am devastated to hear of this happening to my dear friends at Emmy Monash. That such evil still exists in the world is bad enough. But here in Australia, where the residents have come for refuge and compassion is tragic. My heart goes out to all the residents and staff of Emmy Monash Aged Care. May the Slalom of Hashem be hour comfort.
Mark Rogers
Victorian Representative of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.
It is all good and proper to condemn the Antipodean Resistance (AR), but what is being done to identify and bring them to justice?
Surely threatening, intimidating and harassing any number of groups in Australia violates several laws as well as impinging on the human rights of AR’s victims.
What are the security services doing about AR? What are the politicians doing about AR, apart from standing on their hind legs tut-tutting their foul acts and proclaiming what a wonderful multi-cultural society we have?