Protest arises after Israeli refused haircut

A 30-year-old Israeli man went to the Juniper Salon hairdresser in the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh on Monday to get a haircut.

But the owner, Katrina Ann Smith, refused him service and booted him from the salon because he was Israeli and had served in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), as all Israelis do, but not until after calling him a “baby killer”. The ejected customer said the incident was sparked when Ms Smith noticed his accent.

He said, “She heard my accent and asked where are you from? I said ‘I’m from Israel’ and she said you can leave. Once I left, she called me a baby killer and she closed the door”.

The victim decried any form of racism and the importing of hate. “It shouldn’t happen. Not to us, not to Palestinians, not to anyone. We’re here in Australia, we want to live peacefully.”

The customer said he intends to commence legal proceedings.

As community members started to hear about the incident, protestors started gathering outside the salon, surrounding the front of the salon by late afternoon.

The salon owner was also filmed having a verbal altercation with Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini, which was later posted to social media.

Smith told Yemeni, “You’re not here to have a haircut, you’re here to hassle me, because they were a baby killer, now f*** off, f*** off”.

Victoria Police (VicPol) said officers attended the protest outside the salon in the afternoon and were able to respond if required. A VicPol spokesperson said, “Victoria Police respects the right for people to protest lawfully however we expect that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community.”

Jewish Community Council of Victoria President Philip Zajac told J-Wire, “Antisemitism is absolutely disgusting. All forms of antisemitism need to be stamped out.

This was the grassroots of the community, showing the broader community that we will not stand for it. It will not be tolerated.

People are sick of it. We are not baby killers. We are good people in Melbourne.”

Anti-Defamation Commission Chair Dr Dvir Abramovich said the incident was clearly discrimination and described the customer’s treatment as “cruel and humiliating”. He said, “No one should be branded a ‘baby killer’ and marched out of a business because of where they were born”.

Zionist Federation of Australia chief Alon Cassuto agreed the incident was unlawful, and said, “That this could happen in Bentleigh – a community known for its diversity and home to a significant Jewish and Israeli population – is deeply disturbing”.

Victoria passed new anti-vilification laws through parliament earlier this year, but the criminal provisions of the legislation only come into force next month.

On its website, the Juniper Salon advises customers that it will close on 6 September 2025. They say, “We thank you for letting us be part of you HAIRSTORY!”. Though this is unlikely to be the end of this story of discrimination and vilification.