Synagogues in both Canada and Australia have come under attack in recent days, prompting investigations and renewed calls for action against hate crimes.

In Canada, authorities are probing a disturbing act of vandalism at Victoria’s Conservative Congregation Emanu-El — the country’s oldest continuously operating synagogue — where antisemitic graffiti scrawled across the property included genocidal threats and vile slurs against Jews.

“Jews are evil! Because genocide is evil! Stop genocide stop the Jews! Jews are murdering thousands of gentile children. In the future Palestinians will get their revenge against you child-killing Jew-monsters!” the graffiti read.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver condemned the attack as a “painful reminder that the fight against antisemitism is far from over.”

British Columbia’s Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger said that hate-fueled vandalism and intimidation “are criminal acts, not protected expressions.” She confirmed the expansion of the province’s Hate Crimes Unit, tasking it with aggressively investigating hate-motivated offenses and ensuring charges are brought against the perpetrators.

Just days earlier, the Canadian government announced its conditional support for recognizing a Palestinian state if the Palestinian Authority implements a series of reforms. The Israeli government has slammed such moves as effectively rewarding Hamas in the wake of its October 7 massacre.

Meanwhile, in Australia, police are hunting for a lone suspect responsible for a series of antisemitic vandalism incidents at the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, an Orthodox shul in South Yarra. The shul has been defaced five times between March 11 and July 30 with offensive slogans spray-painted onto its walls.

CCTV footage released by Victoria Police shows the male suspect arriving on a black e-scooter, dressed in dark clothing, and covering his face with various disguises.

“Police certainly take a dim view of this sort of abhorrent behavior in the public arena,” said Detective Inspector Martin McLean. “We believe the offender is acting alone, but we’re asking the public for any information that could help bring this person to justice.”

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