The escalating drumbeat of antisemitism is now a fact of life in Australia”
Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, has lashed out on neo-Nazi incidents in Victoria.
The swastika on a tree in Collins St on March 3
This follows the crude vandalism of a city tree on Collins St with a Star of David and a swastika drawn on its bark.
Abramovich said: “I am disgusted and appalled. Another week, another series of terrifying episodes of neo-Nazi vandalism, an upsurge that is becoming the norm in Melbourne and Victoria.
The guardrails have come off, and I wish I did not have to say this, but the escalating drumbeat of antisemitism is now a fact of life in Australia.
Nazi graffiti in Queens Parade, Fitzroy on March 2
This hate crime provides further evidence that racists and extremists are less inhibited about expressing their poisonous sentiments and is a reminder that our fight against this contagion of intolerance, which is spiralling out of control, is far from finished.
This is not just graffiti on a wall, a tree and a road sign, scrawled by cowards who seek instil fear in our communities, it is an assault on our collective way of life and sense of safety. Words matter and can lead to violence, and those individuals, who took the time to deliberately express their cruel and vicious bigotry, are walking amongst us with evil in their hearts. The repugnant tsunami of white-supremacist defacement that has stained our city, a beacon of diversity, is reaching pitch fever and must be countered.
There is no room in Victoria for such sickening intimidation, and I hope that all councils have as a policy the removal of such vandalism whether they appear on private or public property. We also hope that police identify the perpetrators and that they held accountable.”
