<\/p>\n
The prime minister has condemned an \u201cantisemitic hate incident\u201d on Monday evening as \u201cNazi slogans\u201d were allegedly yelled at school-age boys in a popular Jewish neighbourhood in Melbourne.<\/p>\n
In a statement, police said investigators were told up to five boys were on Glen Eira Road in St Kilda East about 9.50pm on Monday night when a white ute drove past.<\/p>\n
They allege the people inside the ute \u201cyelled antisemitic abuse\u201d at the boys before stopping their vehicle a short distance away.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe victims ran across the road, the ute subsequently performed a U-turn and drove towards the victims,\u201d police said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFortunately no one was injured and the vehicle drove from the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony Albanese said the alleged \u201cantisemitic hate incident \u2026 targeting young Jewish boys has no place in our country\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said it would have been a \u201cterrifying ordeal\u201d for the young Australians to be allegedly targeted for their Jewish faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time when Australians are joining with the Jewish community in sorrow and solidarity, it is beyond disgusting to see these cowards shouting Nazi slogans at young people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictorian police are investigating and I want to see the perpetrators face the full force of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/sub><\/a><\/p>\n In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, detectives from Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit said they had identified two persons of interest and were following up a \u201cnumber of avenues of inquiry\u201d. Police alleged the perpetrators were also likely linked to a series of offending in the area, including aggravated burglaries and vehicle theft.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s premier, Jacinta Allan, said antisemitic behaviour \u201chas absolutely no place here in Victoria\u201d.<\/p>\n She said if the alleged perpetrators had performed a Nazi salute, as had been reported in some media outlets, \u201cthat salute is banned here in Victoria, you can be prosecuted for that, and Victoria police will be investigating\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe already have the strongest anti-hate laws in the nation and my plan is to strengthen those anti-hate laws when parliament returns,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The federal member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, which covers St Kilda and Elsternwick, said the area was a \u201chub of Jewish life\u201d where people deserved to feel safe.<\/p>\n \u201cThat community literally are the descendants of Holocaust survivors \u2026 who came to Australia looking for a safe haven, and it was a safe haven,\u201d he told Sky News on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cTo see that happen is just unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n CEO of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Naomi Levin, said it was a \u201cdisgraceful, antisemitic attack\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cVideo is circulating of a group of a school-age Jewish boys being physically and verbally threatened in East St Kilda last night,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cThe boys, who were outside a Jewish community and education centre, reported that the individuals in the car performed Nazi salutes, shouted Nazi slogans and followed them as they tried to reach a safe place.<\/p>\n \u201cThe perpetrators must be arrested and face the new, stronger Victorian anti-vilification laws.\u201d<\/p>\n A Victoria police spokesperson said there was \u201cabsolutely no place in our society for antisemitic, racist or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the incident or the vehicle in the area to come forward,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n The incident occurred near the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, built by Holocaust survivors<\/a> who fled Europe, which was subject to an arson attack in the early hours of 6 December 2024.<\/p>\n The arson was condemned at the time by Allan<\/a> as a hateful and violent \u201cact of antisemitism\u201d.<\/p>\n