Australia / 23-08-2012
Neighbour kicked out as Nazi taunts strike fear
Adam SchipkieMelbourne - Melbourne’s Jewish residents claimed a victory yesterday after 28-year-old Adam Schipkie, an alleged neo-Nazi who had been terrorizing his neighbors, was ordered by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to vacate his government-subsidized apartment located in Caulfield in the midst of the Jewish community.
Terrified residents who feared retaliation and did not want to be identified said, “I’ve never seen anything antisemitic in my whole life in Melbourne, and now it is here, in my building. It’s really hit a nerve.”
Schipkie, who has a shaved head and photos of Nazi items on his Facebook page, is accused of carving swastikas into his neighbors’ cars, using the Nazi salute, and hurling verbal abuse on his neighbors. But Schipkie denies the allegations, claiming one of his friends did it. “I’m not a neo-Nazi,” he said. “Everyone around here has targeted me.”
When the Jewish residents initially complained to police, they were advised to consider moving from the neighborhood, forcing them to turn to VCAT instead for assistance. Schipkie says he is considering an appeal, but police said they will try to evict him later today.
