Inner West Council votes to condemn antisemitism

Wednesday 19 February 2025

Media release
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne

At last night’s meeting, Inner West Council voted unanimously to condemn the escalation in antisemitic attacks across Sydney.

This condemnation included recognition that the booing and hissing of local Jewish residents by protesters at previous Council meetings was overtly antisemitic and unacceptable.

The council is opposed to the boycotting of Jewish businesses or any ethnically based procurement, and instead, voted to endorse the joint statement of Mayors across Sydney in support of social cohesion.

Rabbi Eli Feldman of the Newtown Synagogue, which was subject to vandalism and attempted firebombing in January, spoke at the meeting in support of the Council’s strong stance against antisemitism and racism in all its forms. 

“The antisemitic attacks across the Inner West and Sydney have been getting out of control. Sadly, this has included overt antisemitism against Jewish residents in our own council chamber,” Darcy Byrne said.

“It’s a relief that all councillors from all parties have now voted to recognise that the harassment and intimidation local Jewish people were subjected to at the August 2024 Council meeting was appalling and must never happen again.

“With local Jewish people feeling a real sense of fear, there’s no room for equivocation. It’s time for all elected representatives and the whole Inner West community to unite to stamp out antisemitism and extremism in all its forms.”

Please find below the full resolution adopted by the Inner West Council at last night's meeting.

C0225(1) Item 3  Mayoral Minute: Combating Anti-Semitism and Supporting Community Cohesion in the Inner West
Motion: (Byrne)

1. That Council condemns the recent surge of antisemitic attacks and vilification directed towards Sydney’s Jewish community, including the attempted firebombing of Newtown Synagogue, harassment of local Jewish residents, and incidents of antisemitic graffiti here in the Inner West.
2. That Council acknowledges that local Jewish leaders have warned for months that antisemitic behaviour has been building in the Inner West, and have called on elected representatives to take a clear stand against antisemitism in all its forms.
3. That Council notes that the intimidation of local Jewish people by protestors at the August 2024 Inner West Council meeting, including the booing and hissing speakers, was overtly antisemitic and unacceptable.
4. That Council acknowledges that racism must be opposed in all its forms and that there has been an increase in other forms of racism in our community, including towards Indigenous Australians during the Voice referendum, and that racism directed at one community has the potential to harm all diverse communities; and
   1. Council note Jewish Voices of Inner Sydney wrote to Councillors on 7th of February about the recent rise of antisemitic attacks a copy of which I table to at today's council meeting. 
5. That Council notes Council’s endorsed position that foreign affairs is not the remit of local government, but that local government has a role in combating racism and supporting community cohesion at the grassroots level.
6. That Council notes the steps already taken by Council to combat antisemitism, racism, and support community cohesion, including the recent Mayoral Roundtable on Social Cohesion that Inner West Council co-hosted, and the recently released Anti-Racism Strategy, the first developed by a local council in NSW.
7. That Council commits to key actions to combat antisemitism, racism, and support community cohesion in the Inner West, including:
   1. Receiving an urgent briefing for all councillors with the local Police Area Command and with Multicultural NSW on how Council can support community safety and cohesion at the local level;
   2. Providing funding and support for projects, programs and capacity building at the community level. The Cultural Connections Program will allocate $50,000 annually in grants to ethnic community organisations to build and strengthen connections with the wider community;
   3. Completing the installation of three Indigenous Survival Memorials across the Inner West to tell the heroic story of survival of First Nations people. The first at Yeo Park in Ashfield was opened in 2024;
   4. Investing $120,000 over the next two years to develop and pilot a customised Anti-Racism Training Program in partnership with Western Sydney University. This will train hundreds of local residents and Council staff so they have practical skills and tools to confidently identify and respond to racist behaviours as a bystander;
   5. Using the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for ongoing communications campaigns to the whole community to combat specific racist beliefs and behaviours to make Harmony Day more effective and meaningful; and
   6. Employment measures to support greater economic participation for people from diverse backgrounds or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including in recruitment and professional development of Council staff and new apprenticeships.

Ends

For media enquiries please contact Jonny Browne, Jonny.Browne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au