Jewish leader warns atrocity will happen one day in Canberra

"Luckily, it hasn't happened in Canberra yet, but we have no doubt that it will," the newly re-elected president of the ACT Jewish Community, Athol Morris, said.

He said Jews had been "living on a knife edge" since the massacre of Israelis by Hamas on October 7, 2023: "There is this growth of anti-Semitism in the Australian community which is foreign to anything I grew up with.

"Now, everyone feels that they have a right to criticize and complain about what other people think and feel. And you can see in Sydney where some people took action, I'm reasonably sure that one day in Canberra, somebody will take such action as they feel is appropriate to their insane view of the world."

His warning came as ACT Policing increased the protection of Jewish buildings in Canberra in the wake of the mass shootings on Sunday evening.

There was no indication of any specific and imminent threat of a further attack but the police said the extra presence was a "precaution".

"Additional patrols have been enacted for places of worship this evening and the community can expect to see a visible police presence at events in Canberra this summer," a statement said.

The National Jewish Memorial Centre in Canberra comprises a synagogue as well as a library, museum and art gallery. Members have previously described a good relationship with the police.

ACT Policing also called on "people to remain calm and look out for one another".

Members of Canberra's Jewish community were meeting in a mood of shock, grief and mourning at the centre.

Mr Morris said whatever views people had about the war in the Middle East, anti-Semitism - feeling against Jews in general - was a separate matter.

He felt the attackers in Sydney were not true Australians. "I don't regard these people as Australian. They don't value Australian culture.

"They reject Australian values and seek to enforce their values on Australians.

"We are in a culture war between Western values and Middle Eastern values, and I, for one, do not accept Middle Eastern values that are at odds with Australian Judeo-Christian values."

Members of the community in Canberra complained a year ago that they felt there had been a rise in anti-Semitism in the city.

They cited anti-Semitic posters on walls in Civic after the weekly demonstrations there against the Israeli attacks on Gaza which came in the wake of the massacre of Israelis by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

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They also felt that pro-Palestine demonstrations at the ANU intimidated Jewish students.

The ANU Students' Association condemned the Bondi attacks as a "dark day for our country and an incredibly difficult day for our Jewish students at the ANU. ANUSA stands in solidarity with our Jewish students and expresses our sincere horror at the antisemitic terror attack that took place at Bondi Beach".

ANUSA's president Charley Ellwood said: "Events like these cause ripple effects throughout our community and now more than ever, we must stand together and stand united."

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