Police have launched an investigation after a swastika was discovered etched into the window of a Jewish-owned bagel shop in Sydney, raising significant concerns about antisemitism in the city. The vandalism occurred at Lox in a Box, located on Oxford Street in Paddington, with officers alerted to reports of malicious damage on Thursday.
Shocking Discovery Before Opening
According to a police spokesperson, inquiries determined that the swastika was carved on 21 March. The damage was not immediately visible because the shopfront windows had been covered with brown paper following painting work. It was only discovered earlier this week when the covering was removed, just weeks before the business's planned opening on 9 April.
This outlet will be the fourth for Lox in a Box, adding to existing locations in Bondi, Coogee, and Marrickville. Renovations had been underway at the Paddington site in preparation for the launch.
Owner's Emotional Response
Owner Candy Berger expressed deep distress upon finding the symbol. "I stood there in shock, thinking about what that symbol represents. What it has meant to my people," she said. "I am the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, and today felt like a punch that landed deeper than most."
Berger noted the timing felt deliberate, occurring shortly before Passover, a Jewish festival commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Despite the incident, she vowed resilience: "We will not let this break us. We will not let it close our doors or dim the light of something we've worked so hard to build."
Context of Rising Antisemitism
This vandalism is the latest incident of alleged antisemitism reported in Sydney's eastern suburbs since Israel launched a war on Gaza in 2023 following a Hamas attack. The area is home to a large Jewish community and has seen multiple troubling events in recent months.
Prior to a deadly attack at a Hanukkah event near Bondi Beach in December that left 15 people dead, there were reports of cars being set on fire and homes vandalised in the area. Following that attack, a well-known bakery in Surry Hills, Avner's, closed permanently, citing an inability to guarantee safety for staff or customers.
Previous Targeting of Businesses
Lox in a Box has also been targeted before. After the Bondi attack, the company temporarily shut all its locations and later reported a surge of negative online reviews. Berger previously wrote about receiving antisemitic messages, stating, "It's so disheartening, where's our collective humanity? Antisemitism is not a joke ... posting negative antisemitic reviews can really harm a small business like ours."
Despite the latest incident, Berger expressed gratitude for support from police and the Community Security Group, a Jewish organisation.
Broader Crackdown on Extremist Symbols
Elsewhere in Australia, authorities have taken action against the use of Nazi symbols. In December 2025, a British national living in Queensland had his visa cancelled after allegedly posting swastikas online, promoting pro-Nazi ideology, and calling for violence against Jewish people. Home Minister Tony Burke said at the time, "He came here to hate, he doesn't get to stay."
Separately, in Western Australia, a man was fined after tattooing a swastika on his chin. Although he later modified the tattoo, he pleaded guilty to displaying a Nazi symbol in public, alongside other offences.
These incidents come amid a broader crackdown by police and lawmakers on extremist symbols and rising concerns about antisemitism across the country.
