Jewish School Vandalised Overnight as Antisemitism Spree Hits 3 More Sites

A supplied screen grab taken from a news broadcast obtained on Jan. 21, 2025, of damage at the scene of a fire at a childcare centre in Maroubra, Sydney, Australia. AAP Image/Supplied by Nine News

In latest cases of antisemitic attacks, NSW Police is investigating graffiti found on the walls of Mount Sinai College, a Jewish school in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Police have in total identified three sites affected by anti-Semitic vandalism across Sydney overnight, including Mount Sinai College, a location in Eastlakes, and the Eastgardens Shopping Centre.

One wall was tagged with the phrase, “Jews are real terrorists.”

The incident comes just a week after the Only About Children childcare centre, located around the corner from the school, was set alight and defaced with similar anti-Semitic graffiti.

NSW Premier and Police Condemn Vandalism

NSW Premier Chris Minns strongly denounced the attack, calling it “another naked example of racism in our community.”

In a joint press conference along with NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, Minns described the incident as “completely antithetical to everything that Australia represents in 2025.”

“It’s just appalling that there are evil people in our community who attack strangers on the basis of their race or religion,” he said.

Minns assured the public that the government would use all available resources to track down those responsible.

“New South Wales Police are doing everything possible to catch these people, and over the last week and a half, have arrested 10 people for malicious damage, fire damage, graffiti attacks in New South Wales. No stone will be left unturned or upturned in order to catch individuals who are responsible for these activities,” he added.

Webb said the school incident at Maroubra was of particular concern, “School starts back today, so those kids will be walking in to see that.”

She urged the public to provide any information that could assist the investigation, noting police were patrolling the area and visiting multiple locations.

Caravan Packed with Explosives Found

In a separate but related case, police arrested the owner of a caravan packed with explosives, allegedly intended for an anti-Semitic attack. The abandoned vehicle, discovered in Dural, northwest of Sydney, contained enough explosives to create a 40-metre-wide blast.

Notes found inside referenced addresses of Jewish individuals and institutions.

The discovery, made on Jan.19 by a resident, led to a multi-agency counter-terrorism investigation involving over 100 officers. Authorities initially kept the case under wraps for operational reasons.

Police have made arrests on the periphery of the case, linking some suspects to other anti-Semitic incidents. However, the individuals directly responsible remain at large.

Authorities Defend Secrecy in Terror Investigation

The NSW government faced scrutiny over the decision to keep the discovery of the explosives secret for 10 days.

Premier Minns said police needed the time to stay ahead of suspects.

“Sometimes the police work behind the scenes,” he explained.

“I don’t want the public to think anyone was twiddling their thumbs for 10 days–quite the opposite. The police judgment in this case needs to be backed. Politics should take a backseat and let law enforcement do their job.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supported the decision and condemned those responsible.

“This was clearly designed to harm people and instil fear in the community–that is the very definition of terrorism,” he told ABC Radio Sydney.

Political and Diplomatic Outrage Over Threat

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton described the revelation as “sickening and horrifying,” warning of a “grave and sinister escalation” of anti-Semitism in Australia.

“It is an insidious rise that must be checked immediately,” he said.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, expressed deep concern over the foiled plot.

“I’m deeply alarmed by the news of a caravan filled with explosives, intended to carry out a mass casualty attack against the Jewish community in Sydney,” he wrote on social media.

“This comes just days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Jews fled to Australia to escape the same hatred that fuels these attacks.”

Sarah Schwartz, executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, echoed these concerns.

“People are really, really scared at this moment. Parents are questioning whether they can send their children to synagogues and Jewish schools,” she said.

“For Holocaust survivors and their descendants, these incidents bring an added level of trauma.”

Police are urging anyone with information about the attacks or the abandoned caravan to come forward as investigations continue.