Premier vows to lock up ‘bastards’ committing antisemitic attacks across Sydney

A furious NSW Premier Chris Minns has vowed to lock up the “bastards” committing antisemitic attacks across Sydney.

Minns lambasted the attacks as ”utterly appalling and shameful”, adding that he was ashamed to admit there were “terrible people” within the community.

“It tells you everything you need to know about how appalling these bastards are that they would rip apart a school on one of the first days of school with a racist, antisemitic attack,” he said at a press conference alongside NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

“It’s antithetical against everything that Australia believes in 2025.

“There are some terrible people in our community. I’m ashamed to say it, but that’s the truth.

“Bad morals, bad ethics, bad people that will commit these acts but Australians stand united against this appalling racism.”

Minns warned offenders that authorities were leaving “no stone unturned” in their investigations into antisemitic attacks.

“We’re trying to lock them up,” he said. 

“The people of New South Wales are appalled by this behaviour and I want them to know that NSW Police are doing everything possible to catch these people.”

The explosives were capable of causing a “mass casualty event”, police said. 

Notes with the address of a synagogue and antisemitic statements were found nearby, indicating the caravan may have been intended to be used in an antisemitic attack.

The owner of the caravan is in custody on unrelated matters.

While police have not labelled the incident terrorism, Minns certainly did.

He said it was a “potential terrorism event”.

“This represents undeniably an escalation in race hatred, race-filled hatred, and potential violence in New South Wales. We’re very concerned about it,” he said.

“The public should have every confidence that the largest police force in the country, with the most experienced commanders when it comes to counter-terrorism, are focused on precisely this issue and they won’t stop until people who are responsible for it are caught.”

Ten people have been arrested over a string of alleged antisemitic incidents across the state in just over a week. 

Israel reacts to antisemitism attacks in Australia 

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the “epidemic of antisemitism is spreading in Australia almost unchecked”.

“The attempted antisemitic terror attack at a synagogue in Sydney is intolerable,” he said in a statement to X.

“This joins a long list of antisemitic attacks in Australia, including setting fire to a childcare centre in Sydney, firebombing a synagogue in Melbourne, and many other antisemitic attacks.

“The epidemic of antisemitism is spreading in Australia almost unchecked. We expect the Australian government to do more to stop this disease.” 

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Ami Maimon said he was “deeply alarmed” to learn of the explosive-laden caravan.

“This comes just days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Jews fled to Australia to escape the same hatred that fuels these attacks,” he said.