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More than a thousand instances of anti-Semitic online abuse hurled at Jewish Australians since they gave evidence into the Bondi terror attack royal commission have been revealed.
Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured when they were gunned down in the attack at a Chanukah by the Sea event on December 14.
Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences after allegedly participating in the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack.
His father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed by police at the scene.
Since speaking at the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion, a number of Jewish witnesses have been targeted in online hate posts on social media.
A damning report by the Dor Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation established to combat anti-Semitism and hate, reviewed more than a thousand posts and comments containing anti-Semitic and/or abusive material directed towards witnesses who had given evidence.
“Online monitoring by The Dor Foundation has identified a sustained campaign of severe anti-Semitic abuse, harassment and intimidation targeting the witnesses on social media,” it said.
Their report said extreme anti-Semitic responses and targeting of witnesses was occurring online, well outside the bounds of legitimate public discourse.
The posts included threats, incitement and calls for violence against Jewish people, dehumanising and degrading language, and gendered and appearance-based attacks, the report said.
Instances of holocaust mockery and minimisation, anti-Semitic tropes and calls for expulsion, false flag allegations and conspiracy theories, and the targeting of anonymous and vulnerable witnesses were also seen.
Among examples included references to Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal as a “cockroach”, as well as other comments to “kill all Jews”.
In one post, a Jewish child who gave evidence in the hearing was targeted.
Other comments are too graphic for publication.
Speaking outside the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on Wednesday, Dor Foundation chief executive Tahli Blicblau said the posts were “absolutely horrific” and “cut deep” for the witnesses who were targeted.
“The abuse is egregious, it is harsh, it calls for violence (and) it dehumanises people,” she said.
“We wouldn’t accept it in a workplace, we wouldn’t accept it in a playground, so why would we accept it in an online space where it can be amplified to … millions of people?
“It takes the debate far beyond what we would expect to see in terms of acceptable public discourse.”
Ms Blicblau added some comments on the posts were removed, but the foundation would continue to work with social media platforms and the eSafety Commissioner to ensure similar posts are dealt with immediately.
During Tuesday’s hearing, commissioner Virginia Bell spoke about the “concerning and dramatic increase” in online hate messages towards Jewish witnesses.
“This undiluted level of hatred and bigotry towards members of the Jewish community thought to benefit those who post these remarks is lost on me,” he said.
An AFP spokesperson told NewsWire they had received a report of crime in relation to this matter.
No special powers for Jewish security
At the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on Wednesday, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson was asked about the force’s relationship not only with the Jewish community but with Jewish security group CSG.
Counsel assisting Richard Lancaster said Mr Hudson had referenced in his statement that police would have “considerable reservations” about granting additional powers or privileges to Jewish security group CSG in respect of law enforcement.
“So, I think isolating a particular group for additional powers within our community is problematic,” he said.
“It creates a disconnect between groups, can cause friction between groups if one particular element of society is afforded privileges but others aren’t.”
‘Significant risk’: Cop’s fought terrorists with handguns
Mr Hudson said on Wednesday officers responding to the attack were placed in danger by not having long-arm guns.
“On (December 14), our police officers were placed at significant risk (with) gunfight armed with 9mm glocks against long arms,” he said.
He added that NSW Police and the police union had requested greater access to long arms in the lead-up to the attack.
“There has been, on behalf of officers within the NSW Police Force, representations made by the Police Association of NSW in relation to Glock capability increases, (which can) better protect their officers and their members,” he said.
“The availability of long arms on a more frequent basis is certainly a response to that, and (it also encompasses) better protection of the community, so it’s twofold.”
NSW police last year carried long-armed weapons at New Year’s celebrations for the first time in an attempt to strengthen public safety following the terrorist attack.
Mr Hudson also told the commission that NSW Police had not sought any additional funding between October 7 – when Hamas attacked Israel – and December 14, the day of the Bondi attack, because the resources were deemed sufficient.
“It wasn’t considered that counter-terrorism command needed additional resources … it was supplemented by Operation Shelter,” he said.
“When the (terror) threat level was downgraded, we didn’t reduce our capability, and subsequently, when it was increased, we didn’t have a need for additional resources because we hadn’t downgraded the counter-terrorism command with that downgraded threat level.”
Operation Shelter was launched in October 2023 in response to rising social tensions across Sydney to manage public safety and protests.
New system for processing firearms applications
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Heyward also took the stand on Wednesday, telling the commission the firearms registry would adopt a trial for a ‘cradle-to-grave’ system for firearms application processes.
This would see one officer reviewing each application, which Ms Heyward said she believed would stamp out inefficiencies and ensure each one was considered “holistically”.
“They’re going to trial it immediately … it does reduce duplication (and) cost efficiencies, and it does then create total ownership of decision-making,” she said.
Ms Heyward said the current ‘next in line’ process involved adjudicators overseeing a particular stage of the process, rather than “taking ownership of an application from start to finish”, creating inefficiencies and gaps in the screening process.
Wednesday’s proceedings concluded the portion of public hearings for block 2, with media no longer present for the remaining witnesses who will be heard behind closed doors till next Friday.
Public hearings for the commission began after commissioner Virginia Bell’s interim report was published with 14 recommendations.
Anthony Albanese vowed to accept all that related to the commonwealth.
The recommendations include calls to heighten security during Jewish events and refine counter-terror co-operation between federal and state agencies.
The Prime Minister announced the royal commission on January 8, nearly four weeks after the terror attack, amid mounting public and political pressure.
The commission’s final report is due to be handed down in December, a year on from the Bondi attack.
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