Religious leaders and politicians have warned of “fear and misery” if the disturbing growth of neo-Nazi anti-Semitism and influence after October 7 was not stamped out, as one of NSW’s top cops called them “toxic” to society.
The Australian revealed on Monday the abhorrent anti-Semitic language of some of the movement’s most influential figures, and the rapid increase in followers concurrent with that hardening rhetoric.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said the organisation had warned about the “disturbing growth” in neo-Nazi activity before the explosion of anti-Semitism after October 7, urging authorities to throw the book at it. “Since those attacks, we have witnessed an anti-Semitic moment that has unified the far-left, far-right and radical Islam in a shared belief in myths about Jewish power and bloodlust, and a desire to drive Jews from public life,” he said.
Mr Ryvchin, whose organisation made a submission to a senate committee into the issue, said conspiracy theories that had given neo-Nazis a “sense of mission” and ability to “seduce” vulnerable people were now also rampant in “mainstream pro-Palestinian discourse”.
“If we don’t develop the right set of law and policy responses, we will soon find our society degraded by the fear and misery that always accompanies anti-Semitism,” he said.
By: Alexi Demetriadi
Source: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/fear-and-misery-if-neonazism-not-stamped-out/news-story/4d5b03d59fa7fc955addcaa21a61c326