Published: 20 October 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
With murders related to the Middle East in the US, France and Belgium and other hate crimes increasing, the Australian government is providing $50 million to upgrade security.
After murders in the US, France and Belgium this week, Australia’s intelligence chief has issued a public warning about the danger that tensions over the Middle East will cause violence in Australia.
The warning was a rare joint statement by Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess and FBI director Christopher Wray in Palo Alto, California, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
To take account of the heightened domestic risks, the government increased security spending by $10 million on Monday, adding to a $40 million program already announced to provide security for vulnerable communities.
The $50 million plan will upgrade security and protect 177 schools, places of worship and community facilities.
Burgess told journalists that violence at protests was a real possibility. “We, of course, recognise this is a moment that drives feelings and attitudes in our respective countries and in Australia, so we’re on the lookout for that as we see protests and counterprotests … but we do anticipate spontaneous violence around these.
“We do see a direct correlation between language that inflames tension and out of that tension does grow a small number of people who think violence is the answer. It’s something that we all have to be mindful of, and that’s for all Australians to play their part.”
While Burgess said he did not, at this stage, see evidence of extremists planning violence as a result of the war, the threat level in Australia meant it was “possible”.
“We know the neo-Nazis would be looking at this. They have it well planned as part of their awful ideology, and they do not like Jewish people – and you know where that goes – so you see them firing up.
“On the other side, you would have people who are going: ‘Well, Muslims are being oppressed; this is terrible, I’m feeling bad about that,’ and that might stir up their ideology to think violence is the answer. That’s what we have to look out for,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Over the past week:
- A teacher was killed in what officials describe as an Islamic terror attack on a public school in France
- A gunman, who identified himself as inspired by Islamic State, killed two Swedish nationals in Belgium
- A six-year-old Muslim boy was fatally stabbed by a man yelling “Muslims must die” in the US.
Both the Islamophobia Register Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) have spoken of terrifying surges in attacks.
Julie Nathan, ECAJ’s research director, says one antisemitic incident was reported in the week before the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. In the week after, there were 37.
The Islamophobia Register Australia reported a quadrupling of reports since the attack.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Washington next week for a state visit after US President Joe Biden returns from a wartime mission to Israel.
READ MORE
ASIO chief warns of ‘spontaneous violence’, growing threat at home
Australia ramps up security at synagogues, mosques as parliament divides on Gaza
War could fire up neo-Nazis and extremists at home as ASIO also on alert abroad
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Photo: ASIO Chief Mike Burgess (The Mandarin)
