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<docID>336690</docID>
<postdate>2025-01-21 09:08:23</postdate>
<headline>Fresh anti-Semitic graffiti attack near synagogue</headline>
<body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-336691" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250117129935189752-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="676" /></p>
<caption>A house was sprayed with paint and two cars defaced and set alight in Sydney&#039;s east last week. (Neve Brissenden/AAP PHOTOS)</caption>
<p><strong>The wall of a childcare centre has been set alight and spray-painted with an offensive slogan in a fresh anti-Semitic attack.</strong></p>
<p>The premises, in Storey Street at Maroubra in Sydney's eastern suburbs, was set on fire about 1am on Tuesday, police said.</p>
<p>It is the fifth major anti-Semitic incident in the city's east in three months.</p>
<p>Officers established a crime scene and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the latest incident.</p>
<p>The childcare centre is directly around the corner from the Maroubra Synagogue on Anzac Parade.</p>
<p>"Fire and Rescue NSW attended and found the ground floor well alight," according to a police statement.</p>
<p>"The blaze was extinguished, however the building sustained extensive damage.</p>
<p>"Offensive graffiti was also located spray painted on an external wall."</p>
<p>The building was unoccupied at the time of the attack and there are no reports of injuries.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to attend the scene, while NSW Premier Chris Minns is scheduled to hold a press conference to address the incident shortly before 9am.</p>
<p>The attack comes with the nation's Jewish community reeling after vandals targeted the former Dover Heights home of Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief Alex Ryvchin on Friday.</p>
<p>The house was defaced with slurs and cars were set alight outside.</p>
<p>In its wake, legal experts have cast doubt on a federal coalition plan to set minimum jail terms for terrorism offences and displaying hate symbols.</p>
<p>Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced his plan for tougher laws to combat anti-Semitism at Bondi Central Synagogue on Monday, as Mr Albanese asked Australian activists for calm during a six-week ceasefire in Gaza.</p>
<p>Terrorism offences would attract a minimum of six years in jail under the coalition's proposed laws, while those displaying terrorist organisation signs, Nazi symbols or performing a Nazi salute would face at least a year behind bars.</p>
<p>But there was no evidence mandatory sentences deterred offenders, Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns said.</p>
<p>"Furthermore, mandatory jail terms lead to injustice," he said.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
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