Police investigating after neo-Nazi flyers delivered to Jewish households in Melbourne
pamphlets authorised by a neo-Nazi group were delivered to homes in suburban
Melbourne on Wednesday.
Victoria Police are also looking into a related incident where four men displaying antisemitic signage and handing out antisemetic pamphlets attended a pre-polling centre in Kew, in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
"There is absolutely no place in our society for hate-based behaviour and Victoria Police works closely with various community groups to ensure the public feels safe and supported," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
Naomi Levin from the Jewish Community Council of Victoria told the ABC she had close to a dozen community members contact her after the flyers were put in letterboxes in Caulfield, in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, which has a significant Jewish population.
"The flyer has caused real anger and distress among the Jewish community," she said.
"Particularly because it's authorised by somebody who we know has been ... spreading racist and anti Jewish hate around the community across Australia for a number of months," she said.
Leading neo-Nazi linked to anti-Semitic flyers, pre-poll stunt
The flyer distributed to homes in Caulfield was authorised by "Joel Davis, National Socialist Network".
Videos seen by ABC show 29-year-old Joel Davis, a known neo-Nazi, was one of the group of four men who attended the polling booth in Kew on Wednesday.
He stood in front of antisemitic signage while accompanied by two men dressed in costumes mocking Orthodox Jews.
Mr Davis wore a fake Liberal Party T-shirt featuring a doctored Israel flag on the party's logo and walked around the queue of voters attempting to hand out a flyer, which also mimicked Liberal Party campaign material.
The sign was falsely stamped with the Liberal Party logo and reads: "Giving the Jews everything they want".
Ms Levin said she had "grave concerns" about the intimidation and harassment of people just trying to vote.
'Many people in the Jewish community will be voting this week … and they need to feel safe and free to vote like any other Australian, and with the presence of these idiots polling booths, they they're not left feeling safe,' she said.
Liberal Senator James Paterson said he was disgusted by the stunts.
"I think we have to look very closely at whether any laws were breached, although I'm extremely reluctant to give them the attention they crave," he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"When something this vile happens I think the only response has to be utter and total condemnation."
Mr Patterson's condemnation echoed that of other politicians, including state Liberal member for Kew Jess Wilson and independent member for Kooyong Monique Ryan.
State Liberal MP David Southwick said: "Let me be crystal clear: this is not politics. This is hate. And it has no place in our community".
Mr Southwick, who is Jewish, said the one of the flyers had been placed under the door of his office on Wednesday morning.
In a statement, the Australian Federal Police said it was aware of the flyers and the incident in Kew and was working in collaboration with state police.
The Australian Electoral Commission said it was reviewing the flyers to ensure they comply with authorisation rules, but was not able to make determinations about the content of electoral communications.
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