The New Zealand Jewish Council has been alerted to deeply concerning graffiti discovered under a footbridge in Nelson reading “Kill all Jews”.

Most New Zealanders would be appalled by such a message, which constitutes a clear incitement to violence against a minority community. However, the Council is aware that there are some who will seek to justify, minimise, or dismiss this rhetoric, including by framing it as a response to overseas events or by making unfounded claims about its origins.

It is a fundamental principle of a cohesive and democratic society that no ethnic, national, or religious group should be held collectively responsible for the actions, perceived or real, of others. This applies equally to all communities in New Zealand, including Muslims, Indians, Jews, and others. It is concerning that this principle increasingly appears to require restating when it comes to Jewish New Zealanders.

“Language like this is not abstract. It is a direct call for violence,” said Juliet Moses, spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council. “When such rhetoric is normalised, excused, or ignored, it creates an environment in which Jewish people feel unsafe and are increasingly targeted.”

The Council notes that antisemitic rhetoric and incidents have been rising both in New Zealand and internationally. Expressions that would once have been widely condemned are now increasingly voiced without consequence, including in mainstream discourse. There is growing concern that, without clear and consistent condemnation, such messages may embolden individuals to act on them.

This concern is underscored by the Council’s recently released data, which recorded 143 antisemitic incidents in New Zealand in 2025, the highest number documented in a single year. These incidents included assaults, threats, damage to Jewish sites, and harassment targeting individuals in their homes.

The Council also notes that this incident occurs in the same week as reports of threatening graffiti targeting the Indian community in Auckland. The Council expresses its solidarity with that community and reiterates that hatred directed at any group is a threat to all.

“New Zealanders have a shared responsibility to reject hatred in all its forms,” Moses said. “We must be clear that there is no place in our society for messages that dehumanise or call for harm against any community.”

The New Zealand Jewish Council reiterates its commitment to supporting a society in which all people can live safely and freely express their identity, and calls on leaders and the public alike to speak out against all forms of hate.

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