Oz pre-schools to get 'safety upgrades' over potential risk of 'racially-motivated violence'

Sydney, Aug.7 (ANI): Twenty-one pre-schools across Australia are set to get safety upgrades and equipments to protect students after being recognised as potential targets for racially-motivated violence.

The preschools, mostly Jewish, in Victoria, New South Wales (NSW), Queensland and Western Australia (WA), will reportedly spend 4.4 million dollars for closed-circuit security cameras, secure fencing, bollards and safety lighting in federal funds.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said 19.8 million dollars had already been allocated for upgrades at 54 primary and high schools.

"It is a targeted program aimed at schools at risk of racial, religious or ethnically motivated violence, property crime or harassment," News.com.au quoted Clare, as saying.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim said he wished such moves weren't necessary.

"That is regrettably not the case, as can be seen from overseas and local events against Jewish community targets. Regrettably, incitement to racism is becoming more not less of a problem, often hiding disingenuously behind the mantra of free speech," Wertheim said.

Victorian MP Michael Danby said the move followed the killing of three children and a teacher by a gunman at a Jewish school in France earlier this year. (ANI)