The police presence at Bondi Beach in the aftermath of the shootings. Photo / Samuel Sherry
A Tauranga lawyer says he believes the anti-Semitic hatred behind the deadly Bondi Beach attacks is a more extreme version of the hate his family recently experienced in a Mount Maunganui park.
Fifteen innocent people were shot dead by two men during a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach on Monday, in what has been labelled a terror attack targeting Jewish Australians.
At least another 40 people were injured. One gunman was killed by police and the other alleged shooter was in hospital.
The New Zealand-born lawyer, who is not named for safety reasons, said he and his wife, who is a Polish-born Jew and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, lived in Israel for several years, and his teenage stepdaughter was born there.
“What happened in Sydney is devastating, it’s terrifying, it’s shocking, it’s appalling and very scary.
“It’s the same rhetoric, the same hate and abuse that happened to us in Coronation Park in October, but to a lesser degree. Unfortunately, in Sydney, that hatred was taken to an absolutely extreme level. It makes us feel that there is no safe place for Jews anywhere.”
He said his family and others with them experienced two separate anti-Semitic attacks at Coronation Park.
Police confirmed they were notified of both incidents and have made inquiries.
The lawyer said on October 19, he and his stepdaughter were standing in the park, holding an Israeli national flag and a New Zealand flag to demonstrate support for both countries.
He said after hearing commotion behind him, he saw two males aged about 18–20 years rip Israeli flags out of the hands of his stepdaughter and another woman in their group.
“My stepdaughter was injured, and her wrist needed to be in a cast for 10 days, and she also suffered a sore hip. I called the police immediately, and the males barged past me and ran off.”
He said a female who appeared to be with the two males yelled abuse at them as she ran away.
“It sounded like anti-Semitic hatred towards Israel and Jews,” he said.
“My stepdaughter was really scared and shocked … When we drive around Mount Maunganui, she is constantly looking out for these people.”
He said that on October 27, he, his wife and two other women were holding Israel and New Zealand flags in the park and were “aggressively approached” by three men in their 20s.
“One of the males snatched the Israeli flag out of my hands and broke it. He was extremely intimidating. All three men yelled at us, repeatedly abusing us and saying they were going to kill us.
“They kept screaming we aren’t welcome in this country and told us to go back where we came from … They got right up into our faces, and the incident went on for about 15 to 20 minutes.”
The lawyer said he and his wife felt extremely intimidated and feared for their lives.
“This has shaken my wife’s belief that Tauranga and New Zealand are safe places for our family and for Jews, and what has happened in Bondi has only heightened those fears that it could happen here.
“As a Tauranga local, I am appalled and ashamed by what has happened, and to see my hometown is also contaminated with this kind of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel thuggery is shocking and shameful.”
The lawyer said he and his wife were seriously considering relocating the family back to Israel.
“This is a deep-seated, ubiquitous hatred … We know there is one place where we can be safe, that’s back in Israel, where there is an army that can help protect us in the event of another attack."
He said he had been encouraged, however, by the response from some community members who had shown them and the wider Jewish community support and compassion.
“Getting that support is incredibly powerful and meaningful. But the really scary thing is the number of people who have stayed silent or appear almost indifferent to these terrifying and horrific attacks.”
He urged more people to “stand up and speak out” to condemn anti-Semitic, anti-Israel attacks.
“Do we really care about each other, or do we just accept that this kind of hatred and abuse should be allowed to thrive in our society and our communities?”
Senior Sergeant Deidre Lack said three people had been identified and spoken to regarding the October 19 reported incident, and inquiries were also made into the reported October 27 incident.
“Police take all reports of this nature seriously and make several evidence-based inquiries to determine whether the report meets the threshold for prosecution as a hate-motivated crime, and what charges might be appropriate,” she said.
A further police statement said police determined the October 19 matter did not reach the threshold for charges to be laid, and it had been filed.
Police were no longer actively investigating the other alleged incident due to a lack of lines of inquiry, but would assess this position if new information came to light.
Members of Tauranga’s Jewish community were planning a peaceful vigil for Bondi and a walk against anti-Semitism in Mount Maunganui on Friday.
The lawyer said participants should meet at Coronation Park opposite Burger King at 6.15pm. They would walk via Pilot Bay and Mount Maunganui Main Beach to Mt Drury.
A short vigil ceremony would be held there at 7.15pm. Attendees were welcome to bring flags and respectful signs.
He said police would attend.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.