A man has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly ramming a Brisbane synagogue with his ute, the latest in a disturbing pattern of antisemitic incidents across Australia.
Queensland Police charged the man after he allegedly drove his vehicle into the premises of a Brisbane synagogue in what authorities are treating as a targeted attack. The ABC reports that hate crime charges were laid, reflecting the severity with which authorities are treating the incident.
No one was injured in the attack, but the symbolism is chilling. This is a place of worship deliberately targeted, apparently because of the religion practiced there.
Mate, we need to be clear-eyed about what's happening. Antisemitic incidents are rising across Australia, and this isn't abstract prejudice - it's violence directed at Jewish communities.
A pattern, not an isolated incident
This Brisbane attack comes amid a documented increase in antisemitic incidents across Australia. Jewish community organizations have recorded a spike in vandalism, harassment, and threats, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
But here's the thing: criticizing Israel's government or policies is legitimate political speech. Ramming a synagogue with a ute is antisemitism, full stop. The former is about politics; the latter is about targeting people because they're Jewish.
Australian Jewish communities shouldn't have to fear for their safety because of conflicts on the other side of the world that they didn't start and can't control.
The hate crime framework
Queensland has specific hate crime legislation that allows courts to consider prejudice as an aggravating factor in sentencing. The fact that police have laid these charges signals they believe this was motivated by religious hatred.
That's the right call. When someone targets a synagogue, they're not just attacking property - they're attacking a community and attempting to intimidate people because of their religion.
Where we go from here
The Australian Jewish community, like Muslim communities, Indigenous Australians, and other minorities, deserves to practice their faith without fear. That shouldn't be controversial.
But it requires more than just prosecuting individual attacks. It requires political leadership willing to call out antisemitism clearly and consistently, regardless of which side of politics it comes from.
It requires community education about the difference between legitimate criticism of government policies and hatred directed at religious or ethnic groups.
And it requires all of us to recognize that when someone attacks a synagogue in Brisbane, they're attacking the social fabric that holds our diverse society together.
The man charged in this case will face court. But the broader challenge - confronting rising antisemitism and ensuring Australian Jews feel safe in their own country - remains all of ours.
