Second man arrested for Woollahra rampage
'We look forward to the full force of the law being applied to anyone who is found guilty of these crimes'
UPDATED: A second man has been arrested in connection with last week’s antisemitic rampage through the streets of Woollahra in Sydney.
Police arrested 19-year-old Thomas Stojanovski at a residence in Arncliffe, southern Sydney, at around 9.45am today (Thursday). He was taken to Kogarah Police Station and charged with 21 offences, including 14 counts of damaging property, trespassing, behaving in an offensive manner and wearing a disguise with the intent to commit a crime.
He was refused bail and appeared before Sutherland Local Court.
It comes after a 20-year-old man faced court on Monday over last Thursday’s rampage in the leafy suburb of Woollahra, in which cars and buildings were vandalised with anti-Israel graffiti and a vehicle was set alight.
Strike Force Mylor officers arrested Mohommed Farhat at Sydney Airport at 3.50am on Monday morning and took him to Mascot Police Station, where he was charged. Sky News reported that he was attempting to travel to Thailand.
Farhat, who reportedly has a Hezbollah tattoo, has been charged with 14 counts of property damage, three counts related to trespassing, and charges related to arson, offensive behaviour and wearing a disguise to commit crimes. Police estimate the total estimated damage to cars in the incident was $70,000 and to buildings was $20,000-$30,000.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip thanked NSW Police “for their swift investigative work”.
“We look forward to the full force of the law being applied to anyone who is found guilty of these crimes. This is a matter now before the courts and we will respectfully await the completion of the judicial process,” he said.
NSW Premier Chris Minns labelled the vandalism “absolutely deplorable” and an “antisemitic attack”.
Last Friday morning, Minns visited Emanuel Synagogue, located near where the vandalism occurred, and met with president Grant McCorquodale, senior Rabbi Jeffery Kamins and Ossip.
“I know that members of the Jewish community since the horrifying terrorist attacks on October 7 have felt unsafe in their own town, and I’m deeply sorry for that,” Minns said.
“I want to make it clear that both the police and the NSW government will throw the book at anyone who is attempting to racially vilify, intimidate or enact antisemitic, violent acts.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said the anti-Israel movement “has been growing progressively more extreme”.
“It wasn’t stopped at the Opera House steps. It wasn’t stopped at the pro-Hamas encampments. And it wasn’t stopped at the hate preachers,” he said.
“Now Australians are waking up to find their property destroyed and their suburbs violated.”
Mayor of Woollahra Sarah Swan said, “This hateful criminal activity is not welcome anywhere in Australia and it is very distressing and worrying for our community.”
Last Friday morning, Minns visited Emanuel Synagogue, which is near where the vandalism occurred, to meet the synagogue’s clergy and with Ossip.
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