‘Israelis aren't a race': Aussies explode in anger after Victorian hairdresser allegedly calls Israeli customer ‘genocidal baby killer' and boots him out of store

Sky News AU

13 hours ago

The owner of a Victorian hair salon who claimed she was a supporter of inclusion and diversity has been slammed by furious Aussies after she allegedly called an Israeli customer a 'genocidal baby killer' and kicked him out of her store after the customer revealed that he had served in the Israeli military.
Katrina Ann Smith, the owner of Juniper Salon in Melbourne's southeast, has found herself in hot water after she allegedly kicked an Israeli customer out of her store last Monday.
The customer said that upon Ms Smith hearing his Middle Eastern accent, she asked where he was from - and that when he told her he was Israeli, she allegedly labelled him a 'genocidal baby killer' and marched him out of the store.
'She heard my accent and asked where are you from? I said 'I'm from Israel' and she said you can leave. Once I left, she called me a baby killer and she closed the door,' the man told Rebel News.
The man said the ordeal was 'crazy' and that he only wanted someone to cut his 'curly hair.'
Rebel News' Australian correspondent Avi Yemini visited the embattled store late last week to ask Smith why she allegedly evicted the man from her store, and if she regretted her actions.
Despite Yemini making a booking to have his hair cut, Smith ordered him to get out of her store.
She also admitted to booting the Israeli man out of her salon due to the fact he served in the Israel Defence Force.
'You're not here to have a haircut, you're here to hassle me, because they were a baby killer, now f*** off, f*** off,' Smith said.
Yemini questioned Smith if she 'always asked people with ethnic accents where they come from' and asked her if she knew it was 'against the law to kick someone out based on their nationality.'
Smith told Yemini to 'get out' and said he had booked the appointment under 'false pretences."
She also attempted to shut the door on him and block him from entering the establishment.
'Israelis aren't a race,' Smith said.
The owner then called the police and said a 'Middle Eastern looking man' had a camera and was harassing her customers and staff and urged them to 'hurry up.'
A long-time customer, who was getting her hair done at the time of the altercation, said that her mother was Israeli and stated she would 'not be comfortable' if Smith had booted an Israeli customer out of her store.
'I'm actually Jewish and my mum's Israeli, I have no idea what's going on. I hope it's not true because I would not be comfortable here if that were true,' the woman said.
'I've been coming here for several years and my hairdresser is lovely and she was very supportive after October 7. I don't know the owner, it's a confusing world we are in.
The woman said she wasn't aware of Smith's views and added that the shocking revelations 'will definitely impact the way I feel about being here.'
'I don't have an accent but my mums Israeli and I'm proud of my heritage,' she said.
Despite the Racial Discrimination Act and Equal Opportunity Act outlawing discrimination on the basis of race and nationality, Smith said her actions were 'not' against the law and added she had booted people out of her store on the basis of nationality before.