Shamed Grubbers to take holocaust lesson

Alex de Vos
Ocean Grove footballers have agreed to visit Melbourne’s Holocaust Museum after allegedly attacking a Jewish man while on their way home from Caulfield races on Saturday.
Football Geelong chief executive officer Steven O’Dowd said the players were scheduled to meet with Jewish leaders and the victim at Elsternwick’s Holocaust Museum on Wednesday but police investigations had postponed the meeting.
Menachem Vorchheimer, 33, suffered head injuries after he was allegedly bashed in front of his children, aged six and three, about 6.30pm on Saturday.
Mr Vorchheimer had reportedly confronted the players about racist comments directed at him and his children as they walked along Balaclava Road wearing traditional Jewish clothing including a Shabbat hat and a yarmulka.
Players allegedly yelled “f… off Jews” and “go the Nazis” before directing a machine gun-like motion at Mr Vorchheimer and his children.
Mr O’Dowd said the club and the league were “bitterly disappointed” about the incident.
“We don’t condone racist or religious abuse, which appears to have taken form,” Mr O’Dowd said.
“It’s totally unacceptable to abuse someone on their race or religion and I think everyone knows that the comments that were said were pretty hurtful.”
Mr O’Dowd denied the incident involved “a group of guys going around looking for someone from the Jewish community to bash, like the media has played it up to be.”
“They regret it and the club intends to meet face to face with the victim and Jewish leaders to apologise,” he said.
Ocean Grove and District Community Association president Michael Harbour slammed the club over the incident.
“It’s deplorable,” Mr Harbour said.
“It doesn’t matter where it is, in Melbourne or Colac, any action like that by any group or individual is not acceptable.”
Police are investigating the incident and interviewing the victim, offenders and witnesses.
“It’s going to be a long, ongoing investigation because there are so many witnesses,” a police spokesperson said.