An 18-year-old Jewish Australian was punched three times in the face at a Scouts camp in Victoria on Saturday in what police believe was a targeted antisemitic assault.
Joshua Levy was wearing a yarmulke and carrying an Israeli flag when he was attacked during a crowded evening gathering at Lardner Park, southeast of Melbourne.
The assault occurred at approximately 9pm, with around 300 people present at the event.
"I get a tap on my shoulder, and I feel knuckles on my face," Mr Levy recalled.
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"I was really just terrified at that moment, and I ran out, and I was shaking," he said.
"The first thing that came to mind was saying to a leader that I got punched for being Jewish."
The confrontation had begun hours earlier, around 2pm, when Mr Levy was getting a milkshake at the camp, which hosted more than 1,500 scouts and volunteers.
A teenage boy approached him and demanded to know why he was wearing the Israeli flag, accusing Israel of "murdering children."
Joshua Levy was wearing a yarmulke and carrying an Israeli flag when he was attacked
|7NEWS AUSTRALIA
Mr Levy responded simply: "Because I support Israel."
He then walked away from the encounter, but the same individual sought him out again that evening during the party.
Mr Levy was tapped on the shoulder by his attacker, causing him to turn around and be struck repeatedly in the nose and left cheek.
The 18-year-old was examined by an on-site doctor for his injuries and told he could not leave the area due to concerns about potential further violence from the alleged attacker's associates.
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The incident came just months after the Bondi Beach attack against Australia's Jewish community
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Speaking to local media, he said he felt "scared and sad that I'm not free to express my culture and religion freely" following the incident.
"I always heard about antisemitic attacks, but never thought it would happen to me," Mr Levy said.
He has expressed uncertainty about whether he can safely return to Scouts Australia.
Victoria Police confirmed a 17-year-old had been interviewed in connection with the assault and is expected to be summoned to appear before a children's court.
Authorities stated they believe the attack was deliberately targeted and appealed for anyone with information or footage to contact Crime Stoppers.
The Anti-Defamation Commission strongly condemned the assault, with Chair Dvir Abramovich urging police to pursue the matter with the full force of the law.
"This is not 1930s Germany. This is Australia in 2026," Mr Abramovich stressed.
"Bondi was supposed to be a wake-up call. We have reached a point where too many people in this country believe that anyone who is associated with Israel, who wears a yarmulke, who stands openly as a Jew, is fair game for violence or worse."
Scouts Victoria executive manager Jon McGregor confirmed the individual responsible was immediately removed from the camp.
He added that the young person "is remorseful for his actions and has apologised in writing to everyone involved."
The incident follows December's terrorist attack at a Hanukkah gathering on Bondi Beach, which claimed 15 lives and wounded 39 others.
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