The suspect has been charged with a hate crime following an incident in Brisbane
A man has been charged with a hate crime for allegedly ramming his pickup truck into the gate of a synagogue in Brisbane, Australia.
Security camera footage shows the driver stopping outside the synagogue on Friday night, putting his Toyota Hilux in reverse, and knocking down the building’s gates before driving away.
Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Michael Hogan said the suspect was taken into custody within 90 minutes of the attack. Police said the suspect narrowly missed a passerby before targeting the synagogue. Hogan added that authorities are investigating whether the suspect’s mental health or intoxication played a role in the incident.
ANTISEMITIC ATTACK IN AUSTRALIA: A man was arrested and charged with a hate crime after ramming a truck into the gates of the Brisbane Synagogue in Queensland, narrowly missing a bystander as the gates fell. pic.twitter.com/GmIuaDPO8x
Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies Vice President Libby Burke condemned the incident. “This attack is not only an attack on my community, it is an attack on all of us,” she said.
On Saturday, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli expressed support for the Jewish community. “This is another signal as to why we have put strong laws before parliament to protect all people where they worship,” he said.
Multiple countries have experienced an upswing in anti-Jewish violence and hate crimes since the war in Gaza between Hamas and Israel erupted in October 2023.
In December 2025, two Islamist terrorists opened fire at Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people. In July 2025, a man attempted to set a synagogue on fire in Melbourne.
The incidents prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accuse the Australian authorities of “appeasement” of Islamic radicalism and of fueling anti-Semitism through their support for Palestine.
