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Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) CEO Sacha Roytman sent a letter to the mayor of the Australian city of Merri-bek, a suburb of Melbourne, raising the alarm about an upcoming art exhibition at Hayden’s Gallery, titled “The Flood,” that appears to glorify the October 7th massacre perpetrated Hamas.
The text of the letter follows:
Dear Mayor Adam Pulford,
I am writing to express my deep concern on behalf of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and the Artists Against Antisemitism Network regarding the upcoming art display at Hayden’s Gallery in Merri-bek, titled “The Flood.” This exhibition appears to glorify the tragic events of October 7th, a massacre orchestrated by Hamas, and displays an inverted triangle associated with Hamas, the same symbol used to commemorate what they named the “Al-Aqsa Flood.”
As you are aware, the events of October 7th were not only an attack on Israel but an attack on humanity. By showcasing this exhibition, Hayden’s Gallery seems to be promoting the narrative of Hamas, a terrorist organization that openly calls for the destruction of Israel. This is deeply troubling and is, in fact, in violation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, which defines support for such actions as antisemitic.
Additionally, it is critical to recognize the potential threat that such a display poses to the Jewish community in Victoria. Exhibitions like this, which glorify violence and terrorism, can incite hatred and encourage people to act violently against the Jewish community. The safety and well-being of Victoria’s Jewish residents could be severely impacted as a result of such an exhibition being publicly displayed.
Given these alarming developments, I strongly urge you to take immediate action. Allowing this display to continue would be seen as condoning the horrifying violence perpetrated by Hamas and jeopardizing the safety of the Jewish community in your city. I call upon the City of Merri-bek to intervene and halt this exhibition at once.
I trust that you will take swift and necessary steps to prevent any further promotion of harmful rhetoric that endangers both the values of your city and the safety of its Jewish citizens.
