A man has been arrested and charged over a vandalism attack in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in which a ute was set on fire, several cars were damaged, and Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant was graffitied with anti-Israel messages.
Detectives from Strike Force Mylor on Monday morning arrested Mohommed Farhat, 20, at Sydney Airport and charged him with 21 offences, including 14 counts of destroying or damaging property and destroying more than $5000 worth of property with fire.
Detectives from Strike Force Mylor arrest Mohommed Farhat at Sydney Airport on Monday morning.Credit: NSW Police
He was also charged with destroying less than $2000 worth of property with fire, three counts of entering a building or land with intent to commit an indictable offence, blackening or disguising his face to commit an indictable offence, and behaving in an offensive manner in or near a public place or school.
Police estimate $70,000 worth of damage was done to cars and up to $30,000 worth of damage to buildings during the incident in Woollahra last Thursday.
Fire and Rescue NSW were called just after midnight on Wednesday to Wellington Street, where they extinguished the burning ute. When police arrived, they discovered that cars on Wellington, Ocean, Tara and Fullerton streets had been vandalised with spray paint. Several cars parked outside Chiswick restaurant had also been targeted.
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Chiswick restaurant was vandalised with white graffiti sprayed on its windows reading “f— Israel”.
CCTV captured two alleged offenders running away from Wellington Street after the vehicle fire. No other arrests have been made.
Farhat was refused police bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, while Strike Force Mylor investigations continue.
Moran last week said the vandalism was “incredibly disappointing” and there was “no place for it in our community”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the time described images of the attack as “disturbing and deeply troubling to all Australians”.
“There is no place for antisemitism in Australia. Conflict overseas cannot be made a platform for prejudice at home,” he said.
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