Synagogue desecrated in Australia
Newcastle, Australia synagogue spray-painted with swastikas, Nazi references such as ‘Hitler was 'ere,’ ‘Jews must die’ and ‘Six million more’
A synagogue in Newcastle, Australia was desecrated, as seven windows were smashed and anti - Jewish slogans, including “Hitler was 'ere," and "Jews must die," were spray-painted on the building’s walls, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The graffiti included a crossed-out Star of David and "88", neo-Nazi code for "Heil Hitler."
The racist taunts were painted on the wooden doors and brick walls of the Tyrrell Street synagogue, which has about 30 people in its congregation.
Police said the attack occurred on Wednesday night, which would have been Adolf Hitler's 116th birthday, and only a few days before Pesach.
Synagogue President David Gubbay said he had received a message of condolence from Michael Malone, Catholic Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle.
"It was very kind for the bishop to call up," Mr Gubbay told The Herald Saturday. "We were hoping to have all the mess cleaned up today but, because it's the Sabbath, we didn't want to have any work done so we thought we'd wait until tomorrow."
Neighbours told police they heard glass smashing about 2.15 a.m., then saw two young men run along the street.
A number of anti-semitic incidents, as well as attacks on local Muslims, have occurred in Australia in the past few years. Lasty July anti-Semitic slogans were spray-painted on a synagogue in Perth, and a number of other buildings were vandalized as well.
The Perth incident came only a day after tombs in the old Jewish cemetary in Wellington, New Zealand were vandalized following the forged passport scandal.
