A man has been arrested on Australia’s most famous beach for wearing an allegedly ‘offensive’ anti-Israel shirt.
The man, who has yet to be formally identified, was confronted by police at Sydney’s Bondi Beach about 12.50pm on Sunday for wearing the ‘provocative’ shirt.
The shirt featured the Israeli flag next to the words ‘f**k Israel’ and ‘f**k Zionism’.
The scenes played out in front of large crowds of beachgoers who had come to Bondi to escape the heat as temperatures soared above 30 degrees on Sunday.
Robert Gregory, director of the Australian Jewish Association, claimed the man, believed to be the son of a former Labor minister, had worn the shirt several times before his arrest.
He added that many locals had come across him in the t-shirt as Bondi and the surrounding areas in Sydney’s east are the hub of the city’s Jewish community.
“The Jewish community has suffered a wave of harassment and vandalism over the past year,” Gregory told Daily Mail Australia.
“This man repeatedly wears a shirt designed to annoy residents in Sydney’s east.
‘Day after day he is spotted in neighborhoods where many proud Jewish people live, including Double Bay and Bondi.
A man was arrested in Bondi on Sunday after wearing an allegedly offensive shirt (pictured) along the beach
The man, who has yet to be formally identified, was confronted by police at Sydney’s Bondi Beach for wearing the ‘provocative’ shirt
‘Given his background it’s hard to believe he doesn’t still have a shirt. There must be something seriously missing that would make a man that age so desperate for attention.”
A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the man “was taken to Waverley Police Station and charged with two counts of indecent behavior in/near public places and stalking/intimidation with intent through fear of physical harm.” damage’.
Mr Gregory claimed his shirt had caused major problems among Jewish families in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
“He comes across as an ugly sight, especially to families and children, who have been confronted with the hate and abuse he parades around,” he said.
“The Jewish community is peaceful and law-abiding, so if he wants to start an altercation, he is unlikely to succeed.”
The man was later charged with two counts of offensive behavior in/near public places and stalking/intimidation with intent through fear of physical harm.”
The man was bailed to appear at Waverley Local Court on January 22, 2025.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the man for comment.