Victorian man charged with threats towards federal MP

A man from Victoria has been charged with making death threats and antisemitic comments directed at a federal member of parliament. The 41-year-old was arrested after a search of his home in Officer, a suburb of Melbourne. The Australian Federal Police reports that the man contacted the MP several times through social media from January 7 to February 19 this year. He faces charges related to threatening behavior, which include using a service to menace and threatening to harm a public official. The latter charge could lead to a maximum of seven years in prison. The man was granted bail and will appear in Dandenong magistrates’ court on June 19. His arrest is part of Special Operation Avalite, established in December after an arson incident at a synagogue in Melbourne. The operation aims to address threats and violence against the Jewish community and parliamentarians. AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt emphasized that the police will not tolerate antisemitism in Australia. He stated that anyone engaged in such behavior should expect legal consequences. Nutt affirmed that threats based on race or religion are unacceptable, whether directed at elected officials or the public.