Recently, some Australian Open spectators were seen wearing t‑shirts with a ‘Z’, a so-called Russian ‘zwastika’ symbol that represents support for the Ukraine invasion.
It’s part of a sharp global resurgence of antisemitism and public hostility in the last two years.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-CEO Peter Wertheim spoke to ABC Radio National about the rise of antisemitism in Australia. For more information, read the ECAJ Annual Report on Antisemitism 2022 on our website .
Antisemitism is becoming harder to recognise in the West
Commentary by co-CEO Peter Wertheim, originally published in the Australian Financial Review on 7 April 2026.