Man charged with hate crime after allegedly ramming gates of Brisbane synagogue with ute | Brisbane

Police have charged a man after a car crashed into the gates of a Brisbane synagogue.

Officers said the man used his Toyota Hilux to gate the property on Margaret Street in Brisbane’s CBD shortly after 7pm on Friday.

The driver fled the scene after being detained a short time later.

No one was injured during the incident.

A 32-year-old Sunnybank man was expected to appear in Brisbane magistrates’ court on Saturday. He is charged with willful harm, serious libel or hate crime, dangerous driving and drug possession.

Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Michael Hogan said the attack targeted the synagogue but was not considered an act of terrorism.

“Specialist counter-terrorism officers have been involved in the investigation from the very beginning and I can confirm that this is not considered a terrorist incident,” he said.

“Police consider the man’s mental health and intoxication as contributing factors.”

Hogan said the targeted attack on a Jewish house of worship was an aggravating factor in the charges brought.

“There was definitely a targeted attack on the Jewish synagogue,” he said.
“The camera footage clearly shows (the driver) intended to damage the doors.”

No one was injured in the attack – CCTV footage released by police showed a man inside the synagogue grounds jumping backwards as the ute crashed into the doors – and police said they believed the attacker did not intend to enter the synagogue.

Queensland Board of Jewish Representatives vice-president Libby Burke said the state’s Jewish community was “deeply troubled”.

“All Jews in Queensland should be able to go to synagogue and live our lives free of fear,” he said.

“This attack is not just an attack on my community, but on all of us,” he said.

The congregation’s synagogue is a sacred place, “a place of prayer, reflection and community,” Burke said.

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Queensland premier David Crisafulli described the alleged attack as worrying and said Australian Jews would be deeply saddened by the incident.

“I have spoken to the police as well as Jewish leaders and want to reassure the people of Queensland that we are taking this seriously,” he wrote on social media.

“This is another signal of why we are putting strong legislation before parliament to protect all people in the places where they worship.”

“We are going through the process and I fully intend for these to be passed in the next session of parliament.”

An investigation into the proposed legislation was told that multiple stakeholders were not consulted before the bill was drafted.

The Federation of Islamic Councils, the Islamic Council of Queensland and the Queensland Ethnic Communities Council told the state’s parliamentary justice, integrity and community safety committee that they had been bypassed.

Under the law, Queensland’s attorney general will have the power to outlaw statements that could be punishable by two years in prison if uttered in public.

Police said the investigation into the attack, which occurred on Friday evening, is continuing.