An outraged Anthony Albanese has slammed anti-Semitic vandals targeting MPs' workplaces,after a Jewish politician's office was attacked overnight in Melbourne.
Windows were smashed and the front of federal Labor MP Josh Burns' St Kilda electoral office was set on fire,in what he called a 'politically motivated attack'.
The walls of the building were daubed in red paint and graffitied with a slogan reading 'Zionism is fascism'. Zionism refers to the ideology that Jews deserve their own state in their ancestral homeland of Israel.
Mr Albanese said the attack was 'very distressing' and those responsible for it must be held accountable for their criminal actions.
'This is an escalation of the attacks that we've seen. We've been talking about this. We've got to dial this down,' he told ABC Radio.
Windows were smashed and the front of federal Labor MP Josh Burns' (pictured) St Kilda electoral office was set fire to,in what he called a 'politically motivated attack'
Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dr Dvir Abramovich said the vandalism on a Jewish MP's office is an 'assault on our democracy and our sense of safety'.
Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell condemned the violence and property damage but claimed the movement calling for the end to the war in Gaza was largely peaceful.
Federal Labor minister Katy Gallagher said attacks on politicians' offices are 'not the way we do politics in Australia'.
'This type of criminal activity - vandalism - is outrageous,and we need to make sure that the community understands that this is just not on,' she told ABC TV.
Australia PoliticsAnthony AlbaneseMelbourne
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