The discovery of anti-Semitic graffiti at a popular beach in Rockingham has been met with widespread condemnation from local residents and community leaders, who have labelled the act as "bloody sick" and part of a disturbing trend of normalised hatred.
Graffiti Quickly Removed by City Officials
City of Rockingham officers acted swiftly to remove offensive graffiti that appeared on a public toilet block at Palm Beach on Sunday. The graffiti, which contained explicit language targeting Jewish people, was discovered by an on-call officer during an unrelated visit to the area.
A spokesperson for the City of Rockingham confirmed the incident, stating: "Our on-call officer found this whilst attending an unrelated call out and removed it immediately given the nature of the offensive content."
Jewish Association CEO Warns of Normalised Hatred
Australian Jewish Association Chief Executive Officer Robert Gregory expressed grave concern about the incident, describing it as another example of anti-Semitic hatred that has become dangerously normalised in Australian society.
"Australia is experiencing the worst surge of anti-Semitism in its history," Mr Gregory stated. "I'm grateful to the local authorities for responding promptly, but we must ask why this hatred has become so normalised."
Mr Gregory called on political leaders and activists to examine their conduct, suggesting that some rhetoric may be undermining social cohesion and fuelling anti-Semitic sentiment.
Timing Coincides with Israeli President's Visit
The Rockingham incident occurred on the eve of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Sydney to mourn victims of the Bondi terrorist attacks, adding to concerns about rising tensions.
Community Reaction and Recent Incidents
Dozens of local residents expressed outrage after photos of the graffiti circulated on social media. One community member described it as "bloody sick," while another questioned why people would hate others based on their cultural or racial background.
This incident follows several other recent anti-Semitic acts in the Perth area:
- On Saturday, racist slogans and a Nazi swastika were found on a noise wall near the recently completed Mandurah bridge
- On Friday, Federal Liberal MP Andrew Hastie's electorate office in Mandurah was defaced with the words 'traitor goy'
- In January, anti-Semitic graffiti including the words "kill the Jews" and swastikas was discovered on a brick wall in Spearwood
Understanding the Terminology
Perth Hebrew Congregation chief rabbi Daniel Lieberman explained that the term 'goy' has been used in recent years "as a derogatory term for a non-Jewish person who is too supportive of Jewish people."
Legal Response and Police Action
Acting Premier Jackie Jarvis previously condemned similar incidents as "appalling" and called for perpetrators to face the "full weight" of new laws that include up to five years' jail for displaying Nazi insignia.
"This is the worst of the worst," Ms Jarvis said. "That's why we've toughened up those laws, because it is just appalling behaviour."
In a related development, Cannington Detectives with oversight from the State Security Investigation Group charged a 42-year-old man on Monday for allegedly making a Nazi salute and committing an obscene act in Victoria Park on Sunday.
Reporting Offensive Graffiti
Members of the public can report offensive graffiti anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or submitting information online.