Bondi Beach: Cops swoop on western Sydney residents who stormed Bondi and tore down Israel posters

Two men have been fined after they were filmed destroying posters of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas terrorists at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.

A peaceful tribute was held on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Thursday morning to honor the 240 hostages – including young children and the elderly – who were captured almost a month ago.

The exhibition featured posters of the hostages, who are believed to still be in Gaza, with the word ‘Kidnapped’ at the top.

More than 240 blue and white towels, in the colors of the Israeli flag, were draped over the railings on the beach, along with thongs and toys on the sidewalk.

But alarming footage showed two men tearing off the posters.

Now the men, from Sydney’s west, have been fined for offensive behaviour.

‘PPolice attended a home in Granville and spoke to a 25-year-old and a 40-year-old at a home in Bankstown,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.

‘Both men have been issued a criminal offense (CIN) for offensive conduct, which carries a fine of $500.’

Footage of the incident shows the two men being confronted by the organizers of the tribute, who demand that they leave.

“They’re not there,” says one of the men, holding several posters in his hand.

‘This is my family!’ one woman responds.

“It’s not your family,” the man says.

The two groups continue to argue, with the same man telling the woman to “calm down.”

Several bystanders intervene and tell the men to “leave it (the display) alone.”

“It’s our community, leave it alone. It has nothing to do with you,” says one woman.

The pair are seen crumpling the posters as the group urges them to leave them alone. They then threaten to call the police.

“We don’t need to bring this violence here,” one of the men argues.

“Yes, but you are, you are!” one of the women replied. “Please go.”

A peaceful tribute to the 230 hostages captured by terrorist group Hamas was held on the Bondi Beach promenade.

Footage shows two men approach the exhibition, which was approved by the city council and police, and begin tearing down the posters when organizers confronted them

According to the Australian Jewish Association, the men “damaged and stole six signs.”

“It was a heart-warming gesture to see 240 towels and pairs of thongs displayed by young members of the Jewish community who gathered on Bondi Beach to show that the hostages kidnapped by Hamas are not forgotten,” chief executive Robert Gregory told Daily. Australia Post.

“The Jewish community should be able to come together like all other Australians. Destroying photos of kidnapped children is heartless, depraved and un-Australian.

“Anyone who feels the need to tear up photos of kidnapped children clearly has no argument.”

The co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, said the men’s actions were “completely unacceptable and contrary to Australian values ​​to vandalize and destroy this display.”

“Australians have the right to peaceful, dignified displays that draw attention to the plight of their loved ones taken into captivity by a terrorist organization,” Ryvchin said. The Sydney Morning Herald.

“It’s bad enough that anyone would object to a display that exposes the horrors of terrorism and the trauma of the Jewish world.”

Several people tell the men in the video to leave the display alone and leave. The organizers reported the incident to the police, who are investigating

Sky News Australia reporter Sharri Markson, who has Jewish heritage, shared the footage on her social media.

“In Bondi today, men are tearing up posters of Israeli women and children being held hostage by Hamas,” she wrote.

“A peaceful and beautiful tribute, in memory of those still held captive by terrorists in the tunnels of Gaza, was desecrated by fellow Australians.”

One of the organizers said the exhibition was an art installation designed to raise awareness about “the innocent civilians kidnapped and held hostage in Gaza.”

‘We want our family to return. There are also many non-Israeli hostages. It was not about any other statement about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It’s about the people,” they said.

A notice of criminal infringement does not automatically result in a criminal conviction unless it is appealed and heard in court.

A conviction by the court results in a criminal record. It is not known whether the two men will appeal against the fine.