Royal Commission to hear from security agencies after Jews shared lived experiences of antisemitism
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will resume in Sydney today for a second set of hearings, 10 days since the first block concluded with the lived experience of Jews.
The commission is expected to drill into the security environment before alleged IS terrorists opened fire at the Chanukah By The Sea festival, in December, killing 15 innocents.
Police and federal security agencies will be asked about the national threat level, security arrangements at the festival and the handling of intelligence allegedly linked to the shooters.
The commission, in the first block, heard a Canberra Jewish university student was kicked from her share house because her flatmates did not like her position on Zionism, and a gay Jew feared for his life at Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade.
Mia Kline told the commission her housemates said they couldn’t reconcile “my views with their values” in May 2024 and asked her to leave.
Kline later wrote a letter to her housemates, telling them that she was a “harsh critic of Benjamin Netanyahu, his government and the actions of the IDF” and that she hoped they would come to understand the hurt they had caused her.
Another witness, known as Benjamin F, told the commission that he feared for his life when he marched with Jewish LGBTQIA+ group Dayenu in the Mardi Gras parade, ensuring he told his sister that he loved her in case anything happened to him during the parade.
Former High Court judge Virginia Bell in Sydney will convene the commission for a second block of hearings at 10am in Sydney.
Police decision to task only three officers to Chanukah event on day of attack to come under microscope
Commissioner Virginia Bell is expected to question NSW Police about their decision to task just a handful of officers to the Chanukah By The Sea festival at Bondi Beach on December 14, at which 15 people were shot dead.
The commission has previously heard officers were told they did not need to stay at the event the entire time.
“The Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command operations inspector asked the two inspectors rostered on 14 December to attend the Chanukah by the Sea event, take a car crew or two and provide a high visibility policing presence, noting that there was no need to stay the entire duration,” the commission’s interim report notes.
“NSW Police stated that three general duties officers and one supervisor attended the event and that the commander of the Eastern Suburbs PAC attended the event at various times.”
ASIO boss Mike Burgess to front royal commission as first witness
The head of Australia’s spy agency will be the first witness to give evidence in the second tranche of hearings at the Royal Commission on Monday morning.
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess AM will be one of five witnesses to front the hearings on Monday, followed by Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt and NSW Police Counter Terror Commander Leanne McCusker.
Two more people, from CSG, a Jewish group which stands guard at Jewish community events in Sydney, will give evidence under pseudonyms later in the day.
Burgess has described the escalation of antisemitism as a “threat to life” and one of the spy agency’s highest priorities.
Royal Commission to hear from security agencies after Jews shared lived experiences of antisemitism
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will resume in Sydney today for a second set of hearings, 10 days since the first block concluded with the lived experience of Jews.
The commission is expected to drill into the security environment before alleged IS terrorists opened fire at the Chanukah By The Sea festival, in December, killing 15 innocents.
Police and federal security agencies will be asked about the national threat level, security arrangements at the festival and the handling of intelligence allegedly linked to the shooters.
The commission, in the first block, heard a Canberra Jewish university student was kicked from her share house because her flatmates did not like her position on Zionism, and a gay Jew feared for his life at Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
