WA police have slammed anti-Semitic posters found pasted in the northern suburbs of Perth, vowing to crack down on racism linked to escalating violence in the Middle East.

Police yesterday released CCTV footage of a wanted man after racist posters – depicting images hostile to the Jewish people – were found in the Sorrento, Marmion and Watermans Bay areas over the weekend.

Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch said this morning that officers were working to get to the bottom of the incidents and “eradicate” racism in the community.

“We do not tolerate this type of behavior in our community and we do not tolerate racism,” he told 6PR.

“We know the public is out there seeing anything out of the ordinary is going to call and we can put a stop to it as quickly as possible.”

When asked if anti-Semitism was a growing problem in WA, Mr Blanch alluded to the fact that the incident was potentially linked to the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine.

“There are obviously heightened international tensions right now, as we all know,” he said.

“But it’s definitely WA, it’s a community that we all want to live in, we respect the diversity that we just want to experience in our lives. We will not tolerate it, we will eliminate it.

The chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Dvir Abramovich, said yesterday that the appalling and despicable graffiti confirms that anti-Semitism is creeping into everyday life.

“These evil acts are hate crimes,” said Dr Abramovich.

“It is clear that the swastika epidemic and the contagion of anti-Semitism are now hitting all states.

“It is a timely reminder that there are neo-Nazis with hatred in their hearts who have come out of the shadows and who are determined to keep Hitler’s legacy alive by creating a climate of fear and intimidation.

“We must send the crystal clear message to those seeking to sow the seeds of division and the threat will not succeed.”

Steve Lieblich, of the WA Jewish Community Council, said there had been a recent increase in anti-Semitism and the attacks were becoming more serious.

“Inevitably, you always have a few idiots doing this stuff,” he says. “Anecdotally, we are seeing a sharp increase in online anti-Semitism in particular.”

Police said the man was wearing blue shorts and a long-sleeved top, with a gray hat and shirt covering his face.

He had attached a backpack to the front of his body.