Melbourne Jewish leader Dvir Abramovich has blasted Fraser Anning’s claims he is a “friend of the Jewish community” after he attended a rally with neo-Nazis and far-right extremists.
The Independent Senator from Queensland told the Seven Network today he was an ally to Jewish people and the state of Israel, as politicians including Bill Shorten accused him of standing with neo-Nazis.
Dr Abramovich, who told The Australian today that there is an alarming growth of Neo-Nazi imagery in Melbourne, said Senator Anning could not be a friend to Jewish Australians due to association with convicted criminal and rally organiser Blair Cottrell.
“Senator Anning cannot claim to be a friend of the Jewish community when he locks arms with an individual who wanted Hitler to be part of the educational system, when he attends a rally in which Nazi salutes are thrown and words of demonisation are peddled ,” he said.
“A true friend of the Jewish community would disavow the bigoted agenda without equivocation, work to build respect in our cities, and celebrate our cultural and ethnic diversity.
“Senator Anning has failed all Australians with his divisive rhetoric, and he should apologise for his indefensible actions. We all deserve better.”
Read the article by Ben Packham and Richard Ferguson in The Australian.