‘Enough is enough’: Anthony Albanese booed at protest against anti-Semitism

Thousands of protesters have booed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a rally calling for greater action to counteract anti-Semitism in Australia during a rally in Sydney’s CBD.

The crowd, which was estimated to contain more than 3,000 people, descended on Martin Place on Sunday to declare “Enough is enough” as they urged Mr Albanese to take a zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitic attacks.

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were booed by the crowd and targeted by signs which read “Albo, the world is watching” and “Penny Wrong”.

Together with Israel’s Hagit Ashual told attendees the Jewish community had been waiting 14 months for the government to take action.

“We are here because we have reached a tipping point as resilient people,” she said.

“We are here to demand that our government take strong measures to stop anti-Semitism and bring back peace to our streets.”

Ms Ashual directly addressed Mr Albanese in front of the crowd of hundreds, telling him: “We need you to take action.”

“We need you to take a no tolerance approach to anti-Semitism, hatred, and violent speech in our streets … that time to act is now,” she said, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The peaceful protest comes after residences in the eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra were graffitied with “kill Israiel” (sic) and “death 2 Israiel” (sic) in front of a burning car.

Mr Albanese labelled the incident “abhorrent” and vowed to work with the police in bringing the offenders to justice.

The anti-Semitic incident occurred not long after the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne earlier this month, which has since been classified as a terrorist attack.

Mr Albanese condemned the “vile act of cruelty against a tight-knit community”, calling it a “crime of cowardice and prejudice” and “grotesque violation of a place of solace”.

Rabbi of The Great Synagogue, Benjamin Elton, on Sunday called for places of worship to be made safe in light of the recent incidents.

“Now is the time to take a stance, because all of Australia is going to suffer if Jews or Christians or Muslims or anyone else cannot assemble in their places of worship in freedom and in safety, and with an understanding that we respect each other,” he said, according to The Daily Telegraph.

“We are now at a tipping point. This is no longer a threat, this is our reality.

In Australia in 2024, they’re burning down synagogues, and now we have to say enough is enough.”

Reports of anti-Semitism in Australia have increased dramatically since the Israel-Palestine conflict erupted into war following the deadly attack launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organisation that administers the densely populated Gaza Strip, killed approximately 1200 Israelis during the attack and took hundreds hostage.

The ensuing Israeli response has killed upward of 44,000 people living in the densely populated Palestinian territory.

Israel invaded Lebanon in October before signing a 60-day ceasefire with Palestine and Lebanon in late November.