1990 Auckland Jewish daycare stabbing

On 16 July 1990, a mentally ill woman attacked the playground of the Jewish Kadimah School's daycare in Central Auckland, stabbing four children with a knife while screaming antisemitic slogans. The attack continued as other young students looked on "in horror", while members of staff ran to help the children. The woman, 52-year-old Pauline Janet Williamson, was eventually disarmed by a male teacher. The children, aged 6 to 8, were hospitalised immediately afterwards; all survived, after going intensive surgery. They were identified by police as 6-year-old twins Nicholas and Samuel Henderson; Simon Clark, 6, and Damon Bree, 8.

1990 Auckland Jewish daycare stabbing
Greys Avenue, Auckland, New Zealand, where the kindergarten in question is located, 27 years later (November 2017).
Date16 July 1990 (1990-07-16)
Time~ unknown
LocationHebrew Kadimah School kindergarten Auckland, New Zealand
Coordinates55.86223°N 4.25732°W / 55.86223; -4.25732
TypeMass stabbing, domestic terrorism, hate crime
MotiveAntisemitism
TargetJews
Deaths0
Non-fatal injuries4
SuspectsPauline Janet Williamson
TrialSuspect deemed mentally unfit to stand trial

This apparently random act of antisemitic violence in New Zealand, a country known to be tolerant of its Jewish community, shocked many. However, it followed the desecration of several Jewish graves in Dunedin by two months, which itself was a copycat of an attack on Jewish graves in Carpentras, in the South of France.[1]

Attack

At an unknown time on Monday, 16 July 1990, mental health outpatient Pauline Janet Williamson ran onto the playground at the school's kindergarten, where 6 year olds Nicholas and Stephen Henderson and Simon Clark, and 8-year-old Damon Bree were playing. She then produced a 4-inch vegetable knife and began screaming antisemitic slogans and a Jewish surname (not one shared by any of the victims), before wildly lacerating these four children.[2]

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References
  1. "People of New Zealand Reach out to Jews After Attack on School". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1990-07-25. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  2. "Four Children Stabbed by Woman in Attack on Auckland Day School by Jeremy Jones". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1990-07-17. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
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