Scott Morrison denounces disgusting vandals who spray-painted Nazi swastikas and anti-Semitic messages on Commonwealth war graves
- Desecration of Commonwealth war graves has been denounced as ‘appalling’
- Anti-Semitic messages were scrawled across tombstones in Israeli city of Haifa
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison said attacks echoed those on graves in Australia
- ‘Let’s not kid ourselves. It’s close to home – it has got to be stamped out,’ he said
The desecration of Commonwealth war graves with spray-painted Nazi swastikas has been denounced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as ‘appalling’.
Anti-Semitic messages were also scrawled across tombstones at the cemetery in the Israeli city of Haifa – while some of the headstones had been kicked in.
Describing the attack on Thursday night as ‘hate-filled desecration’, Mr Morrison said it echoed the anti-Semitic targeting of cemeteries in Sydney and Melbourne.
The desecration of Commonwealth war graves with spray-painted Nazi swastikas has been denounced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison as ‘appalling’
Anti-Semitic messages were also scrawled across tombstones at the cemetery in the Israeli city of Haifa (pictured) – while some of the headstones had been kicked in
‘This is disgusting, appalling and nothing other than just hate filled desecration of our own diggers, our light horsemen and it is terribly upsetting,’ the prime minister told reporters in Suva during a brief official visit to Fiji.
He said Australians, including members of parliament, are regularly the target of anti-Semitic trolls who deface their images on Twitter.
‘So let’s not kid ourselves. It is close to home, and it has got to be stamped out,’ he said.
Australia is working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in its zero tolerance of anti-Semitic behaviour.
Describing the attack on Thursday night as ‘hate-filled desecration’, Mr Morrison (pictured) said it echoed the anti-Semitic targeting of cemeteries in Sydney and Melbourne
The attack (pictured) comes just days after an anti-Semitic gunman shot two people dead in Halle, Germany on Wednesday
The commission said its staff were on site to remove the graffiti and restore the cemetery to its traditional high standard.
‘CWGC is grateful for all the messages of support and would like to reassure our public we will never allow such shameful acts to detract from our commemoration of the ward dead,’ a spokesman said.
The attack comes just days after an anti-Semitic gunman shot two people dead in Halle, Germany on Wednesday.
A cemetery in Belfast was vandalised earlier this week and another in Holland also daubed with Nazi symbols in the build up to 75th anniversary celebrations of D-Day.
The commission said its staff were on site to remove the graffiti and restore the cemetery to its traditional high standard