A Sydney man has been charged over an alleged antisemitic incident in the city’s eastern suburbs.
Abdullah Al-Taay, 23, appeared in court on Thursday after he allegedly verbally abused and threatened four teenagers who unfurled an Israeli flag across their car.
Al-Taay was granted bail at Sydney’s Downing Centre local court with conditions barring him from visiting areas where Jewish people congregate.
The incident was reported to police on Monday in Bellevue Hill.
On Wednesday afternoon, Al-Taay attended Liverpool police station and was charged with intimidating with intent to cause fear of physical harm.
NSW police were working with all communities to keep them safe amid the rising tensions, Det Supt Jodi Radmore said.
“The young people were going about their business, they were affixing an Israeli flag to their motor vehicle on their way to a peaceful vigil nearby when the driver of the vehicle stopped and [allegedly] started to threaten them,” she said.
The police minister, Yasmin Catley, said NSW took all instances of antisemitism seriously and there was no place for any kind of hate.
The Jewish community has been on high alert since a cluster of anti-Israeli protests and reports of antisemitic threats.
At a pro-Palestine rally on Monday night at the Sydney Opera House some attendees chanted anti-Jewish rhetoric and lit flares.
NSW police are probing a handful of threats made against Jewish citizens in Sydney.
