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Alleged netball antisemitism leads to charge, ban

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A woman will face court after she was roundly condemned for allegedly making antisemitic comments while watching a junior netball game.

Police were called to Heffron Park netball courts at Maroubra in south-east Sydney just after 10am on Saturday after reports of a woman making offensive comments towards a group of people.

The 42-year-old woman is accused of making antisemitic comments during a junior game between Saints Netball Club and Maccabi Netball Club, a Jewish community club.

She was issued a move-on direction at the game and on Sunday was charged by police with using offensive language in a public place.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $660 fine or a community corrections order.

Netball NSW confirmed the woman had been banned from attending or participating in any netball activities while the matter was investigated.

“Antisemitism and discrimination of any kind have absolutely no place in our game and will not be tolerated,” it said.

Saints Netball Club, of which the woman is believed to be a supporter, said it condemned her alleged actions and offered unreserved apologies to the Jewish community.

“The Saints Netball Club will always stand with the Jewish community, and with all communities, in rejecting racism and hate in every form,” the club said in a post on its Facebook page.

Randwick Netball Association president Jenny Morrissey said her priority was ensuring the Maccabi Netball Club community felt valued and safe at community sport.

“[I] hope in the coming days we can bring the leaders of our clubs together with a strong resolve to show our netball community is safe, caring and proud,” Morrissey said.

The incident occurred a day after the first week of hearings at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion concluded, with many witnesses testifying about their experiences of racism in public places.

Feeling unsafe to practice their religion publicly, particularly after the mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah event at Bondi in December, was a common theme of the evidence given to Commissioner Virginia Bell.

The woman charged over Saturday’s incident will face Waverley Local Court on June 17.

-AAP

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