Australian Teenager Charged With Harassment and Making Death Threats Against Bullied Jewish Student and His Mother

October 25, 2019 9:45 am

The picture posted on Instagram showing a Jewish boy forced to kiss the shoes of a Muslim classmate at the Cheltenham Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Screenshot.

An Australian teenager has been charged with stalking, harassment, and death threats against a Jewish schoolboy and his mother.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the incidents were connected to a bullying incident in which a 12-year-old Jewish student was forced to kiss a Muslim classmate’s feet.

An image of the incident went viral on social media and sparked an international outcry.

The Jewish student was reportedly the victim of months of antisemitic bullying and kissed the other student’s feet under threat of extreme violence.

The 16-year-old student who is now facing charges heard of the incident and is alleged to have subjected the victim and his mother to serious harassment.

Victoria police said in a statement, “Police have charged a 16-year-old Moorabbin boy with making threats to kill, using a telecommunications device to harass, and stalking in relation to alleged incidents involving a 49-year-old woman and 12-year-old boy between October 7 and 9.”

Australia’s education minister has begun an inquiry into the issue of antisemitism in local schools as a result of the events.

Dvir Abramovich of Australian Jewish advocacy group the Anti-Defamation Commission, said, “There are too many instances of educators dismissing or averting their eyes when confronted with incidents of antisemitic bullying, and we would urge the government to mandate schools to immediately report such episodes.”

{Matzav.com}