Daycare centre torched near synagogue in new hate crime


Offensive graffiti and burned windows could be seen at the centre on Tuesday. Photos: AAP
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called an urgent national cabinet meeting after a childcare centre near a Sydney a synagogue was firebombed in an antisemitic attack.
The Only About Children centre in Maroubra in Sydney’s east was set on fire shortly after midnight on Tuesday morning, and the words “F— the Jews” were sprayed in black paint on a wall.
The site is a block from Maroubra Synagogue and the attack marks the latest in a string of antisemitic arson and graffiti incidents in the city’s east, which is home to a large Jewish community.
Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, who were both at the burned childcare centre on Tuesday, pledged to throw all necessary resources at tracking down those responsible.
“What we saw overnight … is the latest in a series of antisemitic hate crimes,” Albanese said.
“This is a place for children and families, and it should never have been denigrated by this despicable and horrifying crime.”
He also confirmed he had convened a national cabinet meeting for 5pm (AEDT).
Fire and Rescue NSW said it sent six fire trucks and 30 firefighters to the Storey Street blaze after receiving multiple triple-zero calls.
The ground floor of the childcare centre was well alight by the time firefighters arrived, NSW Police said.
The blaze was put out in about an hour, although the building sustained extensive damage. There were no reports of injuries and the property was empty at the time.
On Tuesday, scorch marks could be seen around the building’s broken windows and the burnt smell of the overnight firebombing was still evident nearby.
Minns said more police would be added to an existing strike force investigating the spate of antisemitic attacks.
“I speak on behalf of every decent Australian when I say that these scenes of a torched-out childcare centre on the same [block] as a synagogue is completely heartbreaking,” he said.
“It is completely disgusting and these bastards will be rounded up by NSW Police.”
Source: NSW Police
The latest incident comes as the nation’s Jewish community is still reeling from a vandalism and arson attack on the former home of Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief Alex Ryvchin early on Friday.
The house was defaced with slurs and red paint, and cars were set alight outside.
That attack was the latest in a spate of antisemitic arson and graffiti attempts, including targeting of synagogues in Sydney and Melbourne.
NSW Police said they had arrested 181 people since establishing a special operation to combat the attacks in October last year.
There have been 456 charges, including 36 people on antisemitic related offences. Among them are eight people charged with 59 offences:
- Three men – aged 20,19 and 21 – charged after 10 vehicles and buildings were deliberately damaged in Woollahra in November 2024
- Four men – aged 31, 27, 40 and 26 – charged following suspicious fires at two businesses in Bondi in October 2024
- A woman – aged 34 – charged after vehicles and buildings were deliberately damaged in Woollahra in December 2024.
On Monday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced plans for tougher laws to combat antisemitism if the Coalition wins government, including minimum six-year sentences for terrorism offences.
Those displaying terrorist organisation symbols, Nazi symbols or performing Nazi salutes would face at least a year behind bars.
But Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns said there was no evidence mandatory sentences deterred offenders, adding that minimum jail terms led to injustice.
“They force courts to impose sentences where the circumstances do not warrant it because of the nature of offending, or the background of the offender,” he said.
-with AAP