Police are investigating after a driveway outside a woman’s home in Melbourne’s north was sprayed with Islamophobic and anti-Palestine messages, in response — she believes — to her public support for Palestine.
The pavement and driveway outside of Rita Manessis’ home was sprayed with the words “Get out Muslim c—” and “death to Palestine” alongside several Hakenkreuz symbols, or swastikas, according to the Islamophobic Register.
Anti-Palestine graffiti outside the home of Rita Manessis in Melbourne’s north.Credit: Islamophobia register
Manessis, a non-Muslim woman, told the ABC she believes she was targeted because she has shown support for Palestinians amid heightened political tensions in Australia as Israeli forces press further into the city of Rafah, located on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip.
Victoria Police on Saturday confirmed detectives are investigating after reports of the offensive graffiti in Templestowe after it was reported to authorities on June 7.
“There is absolutely no place at all in our society for hate-based symbols and behaviour,” police spokesman Sam Bidey said.
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Keith Wolahan, the federal member for Menzies in Melbourne’s northeast, said the matter had been referred to police and called on expressions of hate, like this, to stop.
“I have seen reports of reprehensible anti-Islamic graffiti in my electorate. I have reached out to local police, who are investigating. The line between the legitimate expression of highly charged emotions and ugly hate looks like this,” he said.
Islamophobia Register, which records, reports and analyses incidents of Islamophobia Australia-wide, said the graffiti was part of a massive uptick in recorded incidents since Hamas’ attack on October 7.
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