Antisemitism building up, needs to stop, Sydney official says after synagogue attack

David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, says he welcomes extra resources promised by the government to probe recent incidents of antisemitism, indicating that security will be stepped up.

“The New South Wales government has also provided us with additional funding to enhance Jewish communal security,” Ossip says in a statement.

Reacting to a graffiti attack on a synagogue in the Sydney suburb of Newton on Saturday, Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne posts a video in which he says the building was also the subject of an attempted firebombing, expressing solidarity with the Jewish community “at such a difficult time.”

We never thought we'd see the day when there are attempts to firebomb places of worship in our multicultural, multi-faith local community.

It’s shocking and appalling.

This antisemitism is growing in our community and we must be strong in opposing it and stamping it out.

— Darcy Byrne (@MayorDarcy) January 11, 2025

“This antisemitism has been building up for some time now, there’s been increasing reports across the last year and it needs to stop,” he adds.

Police had earlier said they were investigating a suspected arson attempt at the synagogue at the same time as the antisemitic vandalism.

“We as a community need to stand strongly to say we oppose antisemitism and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community at this time,” he adds.

The Inner West includes neighborhoods just to the west of central Sydney, including Marrickville, where another suspected incident of antisemitic vandalism occurred over the weekend.

Reuters contributed to this report.