Orthodox teens assaulted in Australia

By · October 17, 2007

Police are investigating an anti-Semitic assault on two Orthodox Jewish teenagers in Melbourne, Australia.

The incident took place Monday night in the heart of Balaclava, a heavily populated Jewish neighborhood.

According to police, the teens were set upon by two men who hurled anti-Semitic abuse at them. One of the victims suffered a slight head injury but did not require hospitalization.

“One of the offenders is potentially one of the assailants from an assault earlier this year,” Police Det. Craig Anderson told JTA.

In August, an Orthodox Jew was beaten by a baseball bat in the same neighborhood.

Manny Waks, the executive officer of the B’nai B’rith’s Anti-Defamation Commission, said this incident “comes on top of what we witnessed several months ago with serious assault also targeting Jewish students. We have faith in the Victorian Police and the law enforcement agencies, and we hope the perpetrators are brought to justice.”