A disabled elderly Jewish woman has alleged she was subjected to antisemitic abuse and filmed without consent while seeking help at a Vodafone store in Melbourne.
This article has been updated to include a response from Vodafone
The Anti-Defamation Commission said the woman, who does not want to be identified, has lodged a formal complaint with Vodafone over the alleged incident at the company’s Elsternwick store.
According to the woman’s account, provided to ADC chair Dr Dvir Abramovich, she entered the store at about 3.35 pm on Tuesday, 23 June, seeking assistance with a pocket Wi-Fi device.
She said a young male staff member repeatedly told her the device only needed charging before allegedly becoming agitated.
The woman alleged the staff member shouted “Free Palestine” several times, called her a “dirty Zionist”, told her “Jews are disgusting”, and said, “Palestine is theirs.”
She also alleged he demanded she hand over her personal mobile phone without explanation and recorded her on a phone while she remained at the counter, unable to leave without her device.
The woman said the alleged confrontation had left her frightened.
“Him saying ‘Free Palestine’ to me basically felt like a call for my murder. I was very scared. I didn’t know what he was capable of,” she said.
“I just hope he doesn’t have my details and that he doesn’t doctor the video or use it in any way. I feel very unsafe and scared for my life and for my future.”
Abramovich described the alleged incident as one of the most disturbing reports received by the ADC this year.
“The geography of harassment and abuse of Jewish people in Australia is expanding by the minute,” he said.
“I no longer recognise the country I have lived in for forty years. The mask has slipped completely. The hatred is no longer whispered.
“If you had described this chilling scene to an Australian five years ago, they would have laughed in your face. Today, this is the new normal for us. Every week brings a story I think will be the worst of the year. Every week I am wrong.”
Abramovich called on Vodafone to investigate the allegation and take public responsibility for what occurred if the complaint is upheld.
“To Vodafone: this happened on your watch. Inside your store. By your employee. Don’t think about issuing a polite corporate statement and moving on,” he said.
“Suspend the worker concerned pending the outcome of an internal investigation and issue a public statement of accountability.
“And we want the video filmed of this woman recovered and deleted before it ends up in the sewer of social media.”
He said the alleged incident had added to fears among Jewish Australians about their safety in ordinary public places.
“Where in this city is a Jew now safe? At a café? On the street? At a school? At a phone shop on a weekday afternoon?” Abramovich said.
“The answer is nowhere because that list has burned to the ground. This is not just antisemitism on the rise. This is a war zone for us, and every Jewish Australian knows it.”
A Vodafone spokesperson told JWire that the company did not accept antisemitism, racism or discrimination by employees, contractors or customers.
Vodafone said it was aware of the serious allegations concerning an interaction at an Elsternwick dealer store earlier this week, including claims published by the Anti-Defamation Commission.
The company is reviewing CCTV footage and other information to determine what occurred.
“While it is never appropriate for any retail interaction to escalate or create discomfort for a customer, our initial review of the information indicates this was a brief interaction and does not support key aspects in the Anti-Defamation Commission’s statement, including claims about the nature and tone of the interaction or the customer being prevented from leaving,” the spokesperson said.
“We continue to investigate.”
Vodafone said it had spoken with the customer, apologised for the interaction and reassured her that it was taking the matter seriously.
“Our focus is on establishing the facts, and we will take any necessary action based on the outcome,” the spokesperson said.
The dealer’s employee has been stood down pending the outcome of the investigation.