Yahoo Lifestyle Councillor defends outfit at Anzac day service, reveals 'horrifying' death threats
Rafaela Pandolfini has worn the scarf for months but says the reaction highlights a 'dangerously scary state of affairs' in the community.
NSW Greens councillor Rafaela Pandolfini has defended wearing a keffiyeh to an Anzac day dawn service after the article of clothing caused outrage among some in the Jewish community, who spread vitriol online over her outfit choice. Speaking to Yahoo News, she shared the "horrifying" messages of abuse and death threats she received following the event.
Pandolfini wore the traditional Middle Eastern scarf, which for some has become a symbol against the conflict and mistreatment of those in Gaza, at the dawn service in Coogee in Sydney's east on Thursday morning. After she was called out online by the Jewish Association, she was inundated with abusive messages and phone calls by strangers who opposed her decision, with one man allegedly following her after the event.
"A tall white man followed me and videoed me, came into my personal space. I didn't do that to anybody," Pandolfini told Yahoo. "It wasn't an overt political statement. I didn't yell at anyone. I didn't chase anyone around. I didn't abuse anyone."
Councillor has worn keffiyeh 'every day' since conflict in Gaza
Pandolfini said she has worn the scarf everyday for months and claimed she did not give it a second thought when she put the keffiyeh on before heading to the dawn service to honour Australian soldiers.
"I wear it everyday and I don't know why I wouldn't wear it on that day, it had a poppy on it," she said.
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She said she did not expect any negative repercussions from wearing the scarf, despite previously experiencing "physical abuse" and hostile interactions from members of the public at other public events. She detailed one incident where a woman allegedly shared her personal contact details, including her address, online after she attended an event where Pandolfini wore the keffiyeh.
However she shared emails and voicemail messages with Yahoo, revealing the horrid and violent abuse she received by members of the public following the uproar over her outfit at the dawn service.
"I wish they tackled you to the ground. I hope they choke you in your scarf," one person said in an intimidating voicemail left on her phone. In other emails, profanity-laden death threats were levelled at her.
Pandolfini will continue wearing scarf
Pandolfini confirmed she intends to continue wearing the scarf and said she will not be "intimidated or bullied into behaving in a particular way".
"It's horrific that people feel entitled to violently abuse a woman for wearing a scarf, because I apparently did something to them," she said. "So they have the right to now threaten my life. I think that is a really, really dangerously scary state of affairs."
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