Australian Police Investigate Overseas Funding for Rising Antisemitic Crimes

With a rise in antisemitic attacks, Australian federal police are probing potential overseas funding sources for these crimes. The investigation follows a recent arson attack on a childcare center in Sydney and aims to address hate crimes targeting the Jewish community.

Australia's federal police have announced an investigation into rising antisemitic crimes, suggesting that “overseas actors or individuals” may be paying local criminals to engage in these attacks. Notably, the investigation follows a concerning series of incidents, including the recent arson of a childcare center in Sydney, which was also defaced with anti-Jewish graffiti. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the attack has prompted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene an emergency cabinet meeting.

During this meeting, officials proposed the establishment of a national database to track antisemitic incidents, a move aimed at better understanding and addressing this troubling trend. Commissioner Reece Kershaw of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) disclosed that their special taskforce, created in December to oversee antisemitic crime investigations, has already received over 166 reports.

“Our inquiry seeks to discern whether international players are funnelling cryptocurrency to local offenders, potentially masked by the digital currency's inherent complexities,” Mr. Kershaw declared. He also mentioned inquiries into the radicalization of young individuals via online platforms, but he emphasized that intelligence collected must translate into actionable evidence.

Just last week, the first arrest was made under the federal taskforce, dubbed Special Operation Avalite, involving a man from Sydney accused of issuing death threats to a Jewish organization. The Prime Minister condemned the Maroubra childcare attack as an “act of cowardice” and a profound concern not only for the Jewish community but for the fabric of Australian society as a whole.

The Jewish Council of Australia, founded last year as a response to rising antisemitism, expressed firm disapproval of these events and underscored the necessity of community dialogue and education to combat prejudice. Most antisemitic activities have been reported in Sydney, ranging from graffiti to arson and vandalism of Jewish sites, with New South Wales launching its own taskforce and seeing 36 people charged, alongside 70 arrests in nearby Victoria in response to similar offenses.