Canberra – The police are investigating a spate of far-right vandalism on election corflutes, including anti-Semitic messages defacing Senate candidate Kim Rubenstein’s material.
Her campaign said they had informed ACT Policing.
The police said: “Racial vilification is a crime and unacceptable in our community. The ACT’s laws send a very clear message that such behaviour is not tolerated.” Such a crime could incur a fine of up to $8000.
Other campaigns have also had placards defaced. The “black sun” symbol used by the Nazis and since the war by neo-Nazis has appeared on placards for several parties. It accompanies the anti-democratic slogan “voting will not remove them”.
The defacements on Kim Rubenstein’s election placards allude to her Jewishness, and use the yellow star symbol which was the badge the Nazis compelled Jews to wear in Germany before sending them to be murdered in their millions.
The slogans also use the word “Shoah” light-heartedly. “Shoah” is the Hebrew word for the Holocaust.
The candidate said she was hurt by the sight of the slogans. “I’ve got a pretty thick skin and was warned this could happen,” she said.
“But I’m writing this as a reminder that we must be vigilant against any behaviour that seeks to vilify people for their religion, race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.
“We can disagree without harming or belittling each other, and we can have our say without racist, bigoted attacks. We should also be able to make our points without resorting to misinformation and misleading political ads – something we’ve seen far too much of already this election.”
She said that democracy demanded vigilance: “Our multicultural democracy is only as strong as its defenders – its citizens. It is precious, but it is also fragile – and we should never take it for granted. I’ll be out campaigning again today, fighting for unity over division – and hope over fear.”
Other parties condemned the vandalism. The Liberals called it “disgusting”.
“Vandalism has no place in public debate, particularly not such vile sentiments as we’ve seen appear on Professor Rubenstein’s signs overnight,” Liberal candidate Zed Seselja said.
“These are the same type of disgusting anti-Semitic symbols and rhetoric we’ve seen on Josh Frydenberg’s signs in Kooyong. The offenders should be deeply ashamed, and I condemn it absolutely. This disgusting attack has no place in our democracy.”
The Greens candidate for Canberra, Tim Hollo, who is Jewish and the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, said: “We should be appalled but should not pretend to be surprised by the disgusting anti-Semitic defacing of Kim Rubenstein’s signs.”
