War declared on hate

Police have investigated more than 100 anti-Semitic crimes in Melbourne since the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Operation Park was set up in the aftermath of the outbreak of hostilities, amid concern about a rise in hate crimes. Figures show there were 145 reports of alleged prejudice-motivated crimes that were “prioritised” by police.

Of those, 102 were anti- Semitic and another 12 were described as Islamophobia- related offending.

Police have investigated more than 100 anti-Semitic crimes in Melbourne since the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel.

Operation Park was set up in the aftermath of the outbreak of hostilities, amid concern about a rise in hate crimes.

Figures show there were 145 reports of alleged prejudice-motivated crimes that were “prioritised” by police.

Of those, 102 were anti-­Semitic and another 12 were ­described as Islamophobia-­related offending. The rest were bracketed as miscellaneous.

Of the 47 people arrested, 42 were for anti-Semitic crimes.

The overall number included people performing Nazi salutes, verbal abuse, assaults, criminal or wilful damage, and using telecommunications services to menace.

Among those arrested were:

TWO men charged over an ­assault outside a Caulfield fast-food venue on November 10;

A MAN who allegedly drove at pro-Israel supporters at a Caulfield rally on the same date;

TWO men charged over an ­assault in South Yarra that police later concluded was not prejudice-motivated; and

A MAN spoken to for posting anti-Semitic stickers in Caulfield on November 28.

Several investigations are still running, including an inquiry into anti-Semitic graffiti sprayed in Caulfield late last month.

The deputy commissioner for regional operations, Neil Paterson, said more charges were likely.

“We take any report of ­racial or religious-based crime extremely seriously and have already conducted more than 100 investigations,” he said. “Our engagement with the Palestinian and Jewish communities remains strong both through our proactive patrolling and our support of community events.”

Operation Park is used to centralise data and intelligence collated on prejudice-motivated crime and also co-ordinates daily patrols of suburbs where incidents have happened.

Extra resources – including local police, detectives and the public order response team – have been called in recently to assist in the inner-southern suburbs.

Mr Paterson said there was no place in Victoria for hate crimes.

“Everyone has the right to protest peacefully unless they are putting others in harm’s way,” he said.

“Victoria Police does not tolerate discrimination or victimisation, including that which is motivated by prejudice, racism or discrimination.

“Victoria Police will never condone anyone who attacks another person with differing views to their own.”