‘Zionism Is Fascism’: Jewish MP’s Office Targeted With Fires, Windows Smashed

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on those involved to ‘dial it down.’ Deputy Victorian Liberal Leader David Southwick said the attack was ‘unacceptable.’

Victoria Police investigate the fire and criminal damage at Federal Labor MP Josh Burns' electoral office in Melbourne, Australia, on June 19, 2024. AAP Image/Joel Carrett

The federal office of Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns has been targeted by vandals who smashed windows, painted slogans, and lit fires.

Red paint and the words “zionism is fascism” were graffitied on the walls at the St Kilda office in Melbourne’s inner south east.

Police have established a crime scene and are urging the public with further information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers after a group of several individuals were seen near the office in the early hours of the morning.

Mr. Burns said the damage was done by an alleged “politically motivated attack.” He said he has been in contact with the federal police and is awaiting further advice.

A police spokesperson told The Epoch Times they are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire and criminal damage at an office in St Kilda.

Investigators have been told at least five people were seen near the Barkly Street office about 3:20 a.m.

“The group smashed windows and painted walls and slogans at the premises. Small fires were lit in the telecommunication pits at the front of the building before the group ran from the scene,” the police said.

Staff of the Labor MP were unable to attend the office on June 19 due to safety fears amid the office attack in Melbourne.

“My team won’t be at the office this morning, or until we are told it is safe to do so, but we’re still here to help our community and can be contacted by email.” Mr. Burns said.

“I understand those who have seen images or vision of the attack might find it distressing. I'll have more to say when I have further information.”

Mr. Burns later told media it was a very “reckless” and “dangerous” vandalism of his office, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.

“It’s a reflection of eight months of my team turning up to work and being abused and screamed at, and I’ve got really good people who are working for me,” he said.

“They are hard working, decent kind people who have no role in a conflict on the other side of the world and their place of work has just been smashed in by really dangerous idiots. This is a dangerous escalation of people trying to bring a conflict on the other side of the world to our streets. and it needs to end.”

Meanwhile, Victorian Deputy Liberal Leader David Southwick described the attack on Mr. Burns’ office as “unacceptable.”

Mr. Southwick said Mr. Burns and his staff deserve a safe workplace, adding, “that is simply not negotiable.”

“Yet again, we have seen hateful protestors unleash violence and intimidation. Those responsible must face the consequences,” he said.

‘Very Distressing’: PM

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attack was “very distressing” for Mr. Burns and his staff. He called it an escalation of existing aggression.

“We’ve been talking about this, we’ve got to dial this down. The people who were responsible for this attack should face the full force of the law,” he said.

“I spoke to Josh this morning. This is a pretty serious attack—windows broken, graffiti everywhere, fires lit there. It’s not quite clear what all of the damage is. There are, people live upstairs in that building, there had to be evacuations,” he said.

“This has got to be seen as an attack on someone who’s a Jewish MP, someone who is running an office that looks after people’s interests. And how people think that they advance their cause through activities like this is beyond me.

“It does nothing. It undermines the cause that people purport to represent.”

String of Attacks on Political Offices

The incident follows a string of attacks on political offices in recent weeks amid the Israel and Hamas war. Along with fSmashed ederal parliamentarians, the U.S. Consulate in Melbourne and Sydney have also been targeted.

The offices of Government Services Minister Bill Shorten and Attorney General Mark Dreyfus were also targeted by vandals on May 31.

Mr. Shorten said at the time there is sort of an “arrogant minority, dictatorial view” where the vandals think that they are above the law.

“That’s exactly the direct opposite of social cohesion in Australia,” he said.

In Parliament on June 5 (pdf), Opposition leader Peter Dutton expressed concern about political offices being targeted with “red paint, with vile messages of hate and discrimination and anti-Semitism.”

“It has no place, and we will take every action we need, as a chamber, to make sure that we condemn those acts of anti-Semitism in our country,” he said.