Suspected vandals have caused an estimated $100,000 damage to 10 cars — including two which were damaged by fire — and several buildings in an apparent anti-Israel attack in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
MPs from across the political divide have sounded the alarm over increasing acts of anti-Semitism after anti-Israel slogans were spray-painted on the cars and buildings.
One car was reported to be on fire in Wellington St, Woollahra about 12.30am on Thursday.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
As firefighters extinguished the blaze, it was discovered the car — and nine others parked on Wellington St and nearby Tara St, Fullerton St and Ocean St — had been graffitied.
Painted slogans included “f*** Israel” and “PKK coming”.
PKK is an abbreviation for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, considered a terrorist group by the Turkish and Australian governments.
The vandalised vehicles were parked in streets surrounding the Turkish consulate, in the suburb which is also home to a large Jewish population.
One other car also suffered minor damage from the fire.
Police then also found graffiti on three buildings in Ocean St and Fullerton St.
Detective acting Superintendent Adam Solah said the damage bill could be more than $100,000.
“It is brazen, it is offensive (and) disgusting behaviour that’s against community standards,” he said.
“These are people’s houses that they live in. These are people’s cars.”
Police investigating the suspected vandal attack under Strike Force Mylor want to speak with two people believed to have been in the area at the time.
Both are of slim build and were wearing face coverings and dark clothing, with one wearing a dark hoodie with a Nike logo on the front.
Locals were seen cleaning their cars with acetone-free nail-polish remover on Thursday morning.
“I did lots of googling but this seems to be the only way that’s working,” one resident told AAP.
Officials from all levels and sides of politics have condemned the vandalism, labelling the attacks anti-Semitic.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident was “deeply troubling”.
“There is no place for anti-Semitism in Australia, conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home,” he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns also condemned the acts.
“It is unacceptable, un-Australian, and it will not be tolerated,” he said.
Local federal MP Allegra Spender said her community “won’t be intimidated”.
“Australians care about having a country that is welcoming to everyone of all faiths, backgrounds and sexualities, we will not be intimidated by fringe groups who want to try and divide us,” she said.
In a show of unity, Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns joined forces with Liberal senator Dave Sharma to call out the behaviour.
Burns said since Israel’s war in Gaza began and tensions escalated across the Middle East, Jewish Australians were feeling targeted.
“The sort of incidents that we’re seeing against the Jewish community is escalating and intensifying,” he said.
“Last night would have made a lot of people in the Jewish community right around the country feel extremely unsafe.”
Sharma said he was pleased to learn NSW Police had set up a strike force to investigate the incident.
“There are legitimate forms of political protests, there are legitimate forms of freedom of expression, this is not one of those,” he said.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 44,000 people and displaced the vast majority of the enclave’s population, according to Palestinian officials.
The war followed Hamas’s attack on Israel, which left 1200 people dead and 250 more taken hostage.
Anyone with information on the vandalism attack is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.