Childcare firebombing sparks crisis meeting on hate crimes

A child care centre in Sydney was fire bombed and plastered with anti-Semitic graffiti last night, prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene cabinet.

The PM previously resisted calls to convene state leaders until last night’s attack. Albanese now has called national cabinet to meet this afternoon to tackle rising hate crimes.

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NSW Premier Chris Min said the Maroubra attack was vicious and atrocious. 

“It’s deeply distressing, as I said earlier, it breaks your heart that we have animals in our city that are prepared to burn down a childcare centre to make this point,” Min said.

A manhunt is underway for what Albanese calls the latests in a string of hate crimes.

“Childcare centres are places of joy and harmony. Their only objective, which will be achieved by this crime, is the fulfilment of these people being caught charged and facing the full force of the law.”

Albanese visited the scene of the Maroubra attack and described the incident as “an act of vile, antisemitic violence”.

NSW Police confirmed over 180 people have been arrested since October 7, 2023 in relation to anti-Semitic attacks. 

“It’s very important that people know that this morning they went through the number of people who’ve not just been arrested, they’ve been charged, they’ve been denied bail. They are literally in the clink as we speak,” he said.

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