From the Australian Jewish News:

Moriah student assaulted at zoo
JOSHUA LEVI

A MORIAH College Year 7 student was left with a broken nose after an alleged anti-Semitic attack at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo on Tuesday afternoon.

The Moriah student, who was punched in the face, alleges that students from Windsor High School were throwing rocks and hurling anti-Semitic insults at him and his fellow Moriah students.

“We were leaving the zoo and there was one kid who was right in my face, saying things against Jews, so I asked him to get out of my face and then this other kid punched me in the arm,� the student, who cannot be named, told The AJN.

“Then, as I was walking away from him, he screamed ‘Oy’, and as I turned around, he punched me in the face. My hands were covered in blood and my nose was broken.�

Spokespeople from the police and Taronga Zoo confirmed the incident.

Mark Williams from Taronga Zoo said: “It appears there was some sort of incident that our security guys were asked to attend to at 2.15pm. We provided first aid and called the Harbourside police.�

The student was taken to hospital for tests, which confirmed his nose had been broken.

The student’s mother said she was surprised when she learned that it was an alleged anti-Semitic attack.

“When the school first called me, I was shocked and then when they told me he might have had his nose broken I was horrified,� she said.

“At first I thought it was just a fight between friends. It’s sad that the fact that he was Jewish had to be brought up and made an issue of. I mean these kids had probably never met a Jewish person before. It was unnerving, but I think it was just a one-off unfortunate incident.�

She said the school handled the incident well and that she had received a comforting telephone call from Moriah College principal Dr Leon Bernstein on Wednesday morning.

Dr Bernstein confirmed the incident between the Moriah and Windsor High students.

“It is alleged that the incident involved anti-Semitic remarks. There is a full investigation being conducted and when all the facts are known, the situation will be dealt with appropriately,� Dr Bernstein told The AJN.

“While I acknowledge that this was an isolated incident, it is of concern that if the allegations are correct, there is still much to be done concerning the level of understanding and tolerance in the wider community,� Bernstein added.

NSW Department of Education and Training media officer Sven Wright declined to comment on the incident while police investigations are being carried out.