Victorian Man Charged with Antisemitic Death Threats Against Federal MP

The 33-year-old is accused of targeting federal and state politicians through social media and email, prompting a broader investigation into hate crimes by Australian authorities.

• A 33-year-old man from Reservoir, Victoria, has been charged with making death threats and antisemitic comments toward a New South Wales-based federal MP over a three-day period in January 2025.
• The man also allegedly sent threatening messages to a Victorian state MP during the same timeframe using social media platforms.
• He faces four counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offense and one count of using a carriage service to threaten to kill, each carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
• The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police seized electronic devices from the man's home and stated that further charges against others are expected as part of an ongoing investigation under Special Operation Avalite.
• The case highlights Australia's recent push for tougher hate crime laws, including new mandatory sentencing for offenses involving threats or violence based on race, religion, or other protected characteristics.

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Guardian The Sydney Morning Herald