Arabic version: تفاصيل مروعة عن تهديدات معادية للسامية من مسعف في اللجنة الملكية

Victorian paramedic Joshua Gomperts recounted harrowing experiences of antisemitism during a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion. He described a chilling incident where a firefighter threatened him with a knife at a music festival, stating, “I would skin you the way my family skinned yours in the camps.” This threat was made while Mr. Gomperts was volunteering as a paramedic, and it drew immediate police attention.

The royal commission aims to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Bondi terror attack, which killed 15 people on December 14. Mr. Gomperts shared that his first brush with antisemitism occurred when he was glassed as a teenager while wearing a kippah. He also highlighted a disturbing encounter during a patient transport, where a man in his 90s performed a Nazi salute and expressed his disdain for being treated by a Jewish paramedic.

According to ABC News, Mr. Gomperts faced additional challenges at university when he requested to reschedule an exam that fell on a Jewish holy day. Initially denied, his request was eventually accommodated after he mentioned seeking legal advice. He noted that other students had similar requests without facing any issues.

The first set of hearings at the royal commission will run until May 15, with a final report due a year from the date of the Bondi attack.