Police have dropped an investigation into a bakery that made a Hamas-themed birthday cake for a four-year-old boy’s party, despite a state premier calling the incident “horrifying.”
Oven Bakery by Fufu, based in Auburn, a western suburb of Sydney, baked the cake and similar pastries that were decorated with Hamas symbols and an image of the terrorist group’s masked spokesman, Abu Obaida.
Images of the cake, which had the name of a child said to be four years old, were posted on social media and subsequently referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), which has now stated that the baked goods did not break any laws.
An AFP spokesperson told Sky News, which originally forwarded the footage to New South Wales Police a month ago before passing it on to the federal agency, that they had not assessed that “no crime had been committed against the Commonwealth.” .
Jewish leaders expressed outrage at the decision.
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory told Sky News it was “disappointing but not at all surprising” that authorities were willing to allow the “brainwashing” of young children to support terrorism.
“It’s one thing for politicians to use strong words against extremism, but time and time again we see authorities fail to act,” Mr Gregory said.
‘This lack of action once again sends a clear message of weakness to Islamic radicals.
The Australian Federal Police have dropped an investigation into a Hamas-themed fourth birthday cake made for a children’s party.
‘Many Australians will be wondering if our security agencies are asleep at the wheel or deliberately ignoring Islamic extremism.
‘The problem is not going to go away. Ignoring growing Islamist extremism in our suburbs guarantees that tough times lie ahead for Australians.’
Executive Council of Australian Jews (ECAJ) co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin told The Australian the bakery and the boy’s parents should be held accountable for “glorifying extremism”.
“It takes a rare kind of psychosis to want to teach young children that Hamas terrorists should be admired and emulated,” Mr. Ryvchin said.
Fufu’s Oven Bakery, based in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn, also baked Hamas-themed cupcakes for the boy’s celebration.
Earlier, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called the incident “horrifying” and said children’s parties “should be innocent and fun, not hateful.”
Originally, the Oven Bakery by Fufu Instagram account featured a photo of the birthday cake with a A boy dressed in camouflage posing next to her, his face masked by a keffiyeh and making the same hand gesture as Obaida.
Party guests were also served Hamas-themed cupcakes and the event was decorated with Palestinian flag bunting and balloons.
After backlash, the bakery deleted its Instagram account, but has since reinstated it without the controversial cakes.
The account’s two most recent posts express support for Palestinians in the bloody conflict with Israel that has ravaged Gaza since Hamas launched terrorist attacks against the Jewish state on October 7 last year.
The bakery has been contacted for comment.