Pro-Palestine gang 'threatens to kill' Jewish children on school bus in Australia
Five teens arrested on suspicion of being involved in anti-Semitic abuse at children as young as five
A gang of teenagers chanting "Palestine" stormed a Sydney school bus and allegedly hurled racial abuse and threats at dozens of Jewish schoolchildren, some as young as five, the authorities said.
Five juveniles were arrested early on Thursday over the incident on Wednesday afternoon, New South Wales state police said.
They were questioned at a police station but were later released without charge into the custody of their parents pending further investigations, a police statement said.
The bus carrying about 30 children aged five to 12 years from three Jewish schools were subjected to "physical and racial threats" by a group of eight male teenagers, aged 15 to 17, who boarded at a bus stop in the wealthy eastern suburb of Randwick, police said. No one was injured.
Jackie Blackburn said her three daughters, aged 8, 10 and 12, would need counselling after their terrifying bus ride.
She told Nine Network television on Thursday that her eldest daughter had phoned her from the bus pleading for help, saying: "There are eight very dangerous, drunk men on this bus."
The daughter's phone went dead, but Blackburn said she was soon phoned by her daughter's friend from the same bus.
