Australia’s domestic spy chief has criticised an alleged attempt by News Corp staff to provoke workers at a Middle Eastern restaurant into making prejudicial comments as “mind-blowingly stupid” and “unhelpful” during a Senate estimates hearing.
Ben English, the editor of the Daily Telegraph, has previously said the newspaper “never intended to provoke an incident at the Cairo Takeaway restaurant” but acknowledged “our approach could have been better handled”.
Police were called to the popular Cairo Takeaway in the Sydney suburb of Newtown earlier this month after a confrontation involving the venue’s staff, a team from News Corp Australia and a man wearing a Star of David cap.
Comments at Senate estimates came after Daily Telegraph editor said it ‘never intended to provoke an incident’ but approach could have been ‘better-handled’.
Hesham El Masry, the owner of the restaurant, alleged there was an attempt to provoke an antisemitic response from his staff in the presence of Daily Telegraph reporters.
