Police charge woman over alleged antisemitic abuse at children’s netball match
A 42-year-old woman has been charged and provisionally suspended from all netball activities after allegedly directing antisemitic abuse at Jewish children during an under-12s match at Heffron Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
NSW Police said the woman was issued with a Court Attendance Notice on Sunday and charged with using offensive language in or near a public place or school. She is due to appear before Waverley Local Court on June 17.
The woman alleged to have made antisemitic statements (Facebook)
Netball NSW confirmed the woman has been provisionally suspended from attending or participating in any netball activities while the matter is investigated under the sport’s integrity framework.
“Antisemitism and discrimination of any kind have absolutely no place in our game and will not be tolerated,” Netball NSW said in a statement.
Netball Australia said it fully supported the suspension and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring netball remains a safe and inclusive environment for all participants.
The incident occurred shortly after 10am on Saturday during a Randwick Netball Association fixture between Maccabi and Saints Netball Club at the courts on Fitzgerald Avenue, Maroubra.
Witnesses said the woman, whose child was playing for Saints, directed the comments at the opposing Maccabi team. She allegedly told her child: “F*** the Jews, they should have all been eradicated.” Some reports indicate she made further remarks about genocide and accused Jews of “playing the victim” when challenged.
The abuse was overheard by players, parents and spectators, including about 100 Jewish families. Several children were left shaken, with one young Maccabi player reportedly wanting to remove her uniform because she no longer felt safe being identified as Jewish.
Police said officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command were called to the courts after reports that a woman had allegedly made offensive comments towards a group of people.
Officers attended and issued the woman with a move-on direction. Following further inquiries, she was charged the following day.
The charge was welcomed by Jewish community leaders, who said the incident highlighted the growing impact of antisemitism on Australian children.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin attended the scene and described the alleged conduct as disgusting.
“People need to understand the impact that this behaviour has,” Ryvchin told the newspaper. “The fact that 100 Jewish families were there whose children saw this are now going to feel different going to weekend sports next week.”
David Goldman, general manager of Maccabi Australia, said the incident was deeply traumatic.
“It’s a sporting event where children are just trying to play netball on Saturday morning, yet a parent feels it necessary to make these antisemitic remarks,” he said.
Maccabi Netball Club president Adam Dinte said the behaviour was completely unacceptable and that players had been deeply distressed. Maccabi NSW Netball has lodged a formal complaint with the Randwick Netball Association.
David Ossip, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, said children’s sport must remain a safe environment free of racism and discrimination.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Randwick Netball Association president Catriona Gleeson said netball must remain inclusive.
“Netball is a place where everyone is welcome and we will not tolerate antisemitic or discriminatory behaviour in our community in any way,” she said.
The association said it had immediately called police and was working with Netball NSW to investigate the matter under the sport’s integrity framework.
“Right now our priority is care for the Maccabi Netball Club and all of its members. My message to you is that you are welcome, you belong, and you are valued,” Gleeson said.
She also thanked Saints Netball Club for its swift response and apology.
Saints Netball Club issued a public apology on social media, unequivocally condemning antisemitism and expressing support for the affected players and families.
A recent Maccabi survey of 670 members found that almost one in two respondents had witnessed or experienced antisemitism in sport, with incidents rising sharply since October 7, 2023.
NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe described the incident as “horrifying” and said such behaviour was unacceptable.
The alleged abuse occurred as the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion continues public hearings in Sydney, where witnesses are examining the impact of rising antisemitism on Jewish Australians, including in schools, workplaces and sporting environments.
This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the woman has now been charged.
She is going to have a cout attendance ( assumabley)
Horrific. What a terrible experience for the children. This woman needs to have consequences result from her reprehensible behaviour. It’s obvious, with her interchange with Alex Ryvchin, that she feels perfectly comfortable with herself and with what she’s said.
The abuse was overheard by players, parents and spectators, including around 100 Jewish families.
What was the response from the players, parents and spectators? Did they challenge the hater or did they remain silent?
Ofcourse it is vile dripping hate speech
This behaviour is absolutely disgusting & has no place anywhere in our society. How disgraceful is this woman!
It is not enough to issue a “move on ” direction. If there are no strong consequences…in front of all the children, we will get nowhere. Surely this qualifies as hate speech.