The owner of Juniper Salon in Melbourne expelled an Israeli customer after recognizing his accent and calling him a “baby killer.” The incident took place in the city’s Bentleigh neighborhood, home to a large Jewish and Israeli community, and quickly drew outrage.
The incident led to a protest outside the salon, with demonstrators calling it a blatant act of antisemitism and discrimination incompatible with Australian values.
The Israeli man said he was shocked by the confrontation. “The salon owner is full of hate and hypocrisy,” he said. “She loves everyone but hates only Israelis. When she asked if we kill babies, I laughed. That’s Hamas propaganda. Why would we kill babies? Let them release the hostages, then the war will end, but they don’t want that.”
Jewish-Australian activist Avi Yemini, known for campaigning against antisemitism in Melbourne, later arrived at the salon with a camera. He, too, was removed by the owner, who repeated her accusations that Israelis are “baby killers.” She then called the police, claiming the protesters were harassing her, and told reporters the Israeli man had been expelled because he was “part of the army that kills babies.”
During the incident, an Israeli-born customer was inside the salon, unaware of what had happened. After learning about it, she said she would no longer use the business. “It’s shocking how intolerant the Australian left has become,” she said.
Melbourne’s Jewish community condemned the incident. Demonstrators vowed to continue protesting against all forms of antisemitism and discrimination targeting Israelis and Jews in the city.