Sydney Synagogues Targeted in Antisemitic Vandalism and Arson Attempts

Police are investigating multiple incidents of swastika graffiti and attempted arson at Jewish sites in Sydney, as leaders condemn the attacks as hateful and divisive.

• Two synagogues in Sydney, including one in Newtown and another in Allawah, were defaced with swastikas and antisemitic graffiti over two consecutive days.
• Police suspect an accelerant was used in an attempted arson at the Newtown synagogue, which self-extinguished within minutes, averting potential disaster.
• NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have strongly condemned the attacks, calling them hateful acts meant to divide Australia's multicultural society.
• A special task force, including counter-terrorism officers, is leading the investigation, with police seeking two unidentified suspects captured on CCTV footage.
• The incidents are part of a broader rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks across Australia, prompting increased security measures and public outcry from Jewish community leaders.

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