An antisemitic attack on a childcare center in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has been condemned as an “evil” act of terror, The Sydney Morning Herald reported overnight Tuesday. The building was set on fire and defaced with a hateful slogan, sparking outrage from community leaders who warned that it served as a “wake-up call” and a sign of more violence to come.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has pledged to track down the “bastards” responsible for setting fire to the Only About Children childcare center on Storey Street in Maroubra, just before 1 AM on Tuesday. This marks the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks in Sydney.
Anthony Albanese did not have the courage to call out Domestic Terrorism in relation to the bombing of a Childcare center and Jewish hate crime in Sydney.
He says the laws are sufficient and announced NO changes to terrorism and hate crime laws. pic.twitter.com/SdrSodZpQJ
— The Hard Truth (@RightWingRuless) January 21, 2025
Footage of the fire revealed the words “[Expletive] the Jews” scrawled in black paint on a wall. Fortunately, the building was empty at the time of the arson attack, and no injuries were reported.
It remains unclear whether the multifaith facility was the specific target of the attack. The center was previously owned by a Jewish family from Sydney’s eastern suburbs until in 2023 it was located near Maroubra Synagogue and Mount Sinai College, an Orthodox Jewish school and preschool.
Detectives scoured the area on Tuesday morning, bringing in an accelerant detection dog to search the crime scene. According to the Herald, local residents reported hearing several loud voices followed by a loud bang. One witness described the scene, saying, “It was like a bomb went off. The whole house was lit up like a Christmas tree. There’s usually no problems around here.”
At least nine major antisemitic incidents have occurred in Sydney Since the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks. Among these, three attacks—one in Dover Heights on Friday and two in Woollahra—involved cars being doused in flammable liquid and set on fire. An accelerant was also used in an attack on a Newtown synagogue.
SYDNEY CHILDCARE CENTRE BOMBING – IT’S TERRORISM
And offenders need to be charged as such FFS.A childcare centre (near a Jewish synagogue and childcare centre reportedly previously owned by a Jewish owner) was the subject of a firebomb and antisemitic graffiti in the Sydney… pic.twitter.com/AJgJT12I3d
— Jedi_Law_Australia ?️ (@Uber_Observer) January 20, 2025
In October, two buildings at Bondi Beach, including a kosher restaurant, were set alight as well.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns visited the Maroubra childcare center on Tuesday morning.
Minns stated that antisemitic attacks in Sydney were becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous. “It is completely disgusting, and these bastards will be rounded up by NSW Police,” he said. “It breaks your heart that we have animals in our city that are prepared to burn down a childcare center to make this point.”
Albanese said he “utterly condemned this evil hate crime,” adding, “Childcare centers are places of joy and harmony … what we saw overnight, in the middle of the night, with this attack, is the latest in a series of antisemitic hate crimes.”
“This is a place for children and families, and it should never have been denigrated by this despicable and horrifying crime,” Australia’s PM said.
A 44-year-old man was charged last week, marking the first arrest by the new antisemitism task force, for making death threats against members of a Jewish organization.
