A swastika has been discovered scratched into the window of a Jewish bagel and sandwich shop in Sydney, prompting a police investigation. The incident occurred at Lox in a Box on Oxford Street in Paddington, with police receiving a report of malicious damage at around 12pm on Thursday. Investigations established that the vandalism took place on Saturday 21 March.
Business owner Candy Berger said she did not find the Nazi symbol until she removed brown paper covering the windows, which had been put up after painting. In an Instagram post, Berger expressed her shock, stating, 'I am the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, and today felt like a punch that landed deeper than most.' The Paddington site was being renovated ahead of its planned opening on 9 April.
The etching is the latest in a series of alleged antisemitic incidents in Sydney's east following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 and Israel's war in Gaza. Previous incidents include cars set alight, houses vandalised, and a terrorist shooting that killed 15 at a Bondi beach Hanukah event in December. Another Jewish baker, Avner's in Surry Hills, closed permanently after the attack, citing safety concerns.
Berger praised police and the Community Security Group for their efforts. She suggested the timing was 'calculated, just as we prepare for Passover,' but vowed, 'We will not let this break us.' Lox in a Box had previously shut its other stores for a day after the Bondi shooting, citing antisemitic harassment and one-star reviews.
