Violence at Synagogue and Restaurant Unnerves Jews in Melbourne
The police in Victoria, where Melbourne is located, said they were investigating the two separate events, which took place around 8 p.m. on Friday about a mile apart.
In one, a man poured flammable liquid on the front door of a synagogue in East Melbourne with about 20 people inside and set it aflame before fleeing the scene, according to the Victoria Police. Everyone inside was able to evacuate through a rear exit, and firefighters extinguished the blaze, which was contained to the front entrance, the police said. There were no injuries and no reports of any arrests.
An arson investigator was examining the scene, according to the police statement.
Around the same time, a group of about 20 protesters near the center of the city shouted 'offensive chants' at diners at a restaurant, the police said, leading to the arrest of one of the protesters for 'hindering police.'
The police did not say what the chants were or give information on any damage. The local news media reported that tables were overturned and objects were thrown at the restaurant, resulting in a broken window. A 28-year-old man who had been arrested was released with a summons, according to the police.
A woman who answered the phone at the restaurant declined to comment.
The premier of the state of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, said in a statement on Saturday that the intentions behind the two events were apparent.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AFL clears Bombers star over huge umpire collision
Essendon forward Nate Caddy has avoided AFL sanction over his collision with an umpire after coach Brad Scott slammed the whistleblowers' on-field positioning. Caddy ran hard towards a contest during the Bombers' 41-point loss to Gold Coast on Saturday and collided with umpire Robert O'Gorman, who stepped into his path. The clash came just days after the AFL announced a crackdown on players making contact with umpires, with the league threatening to suspend repeat offenders. Caddy was cleared of wrongdoing by the match review officer (MRO) on Sunday and not mentioned at all in the findings. The MRO occasionally adds notes to incidents that warrant further explanation. Nate Caddy was involved in this collision with an umpire. #AFLDonsSuns — AFL (@AFL) July 5, 2025 Essendon coach Scott acknowledged the AFL's concern around umpire safety, but teed off when claiming there is an easy fix to prevent incidents like the Caddy-O'Gorman collision. "I've lost count of the number of times I've approached the AFL about moving the umpires out of the corridor," Scott said post-match. "The last response I had from (AFL Head of Officiating) Stephen McBurney was, 'Just pretend they're invisible.' "It would make sense if the umpires were in four quadrants on the outside of the contest, looking at the contest. "But they insist on running into the corridor, and they're coached that way." Scott said the incident "took the wind out of" his player. "It took 15 minutes to get him going again," Scott said. "Whose fault is it? Certainly not Nate Caddy's - particularly given we've put this on the agenda to move the umpires out of the corridor and they just refuse to do it." Richmond defender Noah Balta escaped a suspension for his heavy hit on Geelong star Tom Stewart but was handed a $10,000 fine, which can be reduced to $6250 with an early plea. Balta was charged with forceful front-on contact over the incident during the Tigers' 72-point defeat at GMHBA Stadium. Port Adelaide's Hugh Jackson can accept a $2000 fine for kneeing Brisbane Lions veteran Dayne Zorko.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue
MELBOURNE, Australia — A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue in an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia's second-most populous city. Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a 'controlled weapon' on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue in an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia's second-most populous city. Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a 'controlled weapon' on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was. The Sydney resident did not enter a plea or apply to be released on bail. Magistrate John Lesser remanded Loras in custody to appear in court next on July 22. Flammable liquid was ignited at the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, also known as the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, on Friday night as 20 worshippers shared a Shabbat meal inside. The congregation escaped without harm via a rear door and firefighters contained the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building. It was the first of three apparent displays of antisemitic violence across the city on Friday and early Saturday morning. Authorities have yet to establish a link between incidents at the synagogue and two businesses. Antisemitism blamed for attacks on businesses Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant. A restaurant window was cracked, tables were flipped and chairs thrown as protesters chanted 'Death to the IDF,' referring to the Israel Defense Forces. A 28-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and charged with hindering police. Police are also investigating the spray-painting of a business in Melbourne's northern suburbs and an arson attack on three vehicles attached to the business before dawn on Saturday. The vehicles had also been graffitied. Police said there were antisemitic 'inferences' at the scene. The business had also been the target of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the past year. Political leaders condemn antisemitism Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke met with Jewish leaders at the damaged synagogue on Sunday. Burke told reporters that investigators were searching for potential links between the three incidents. 'At this stage, our authorities have not drawn links between them. But obviously there's a link in antisemitism. There's a link in bigotry. There's a link in a willingness to either call for violence, to chant violence or to take out violent actions. They are very much linked in that way,' Burke said. 'There were three attacks that night and none of them belonged in Australia. Arson attacks, the chanting calls for death, other attacks and graffiti — none of it belonged in Australia and they were attacks on Australia,' Burke added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Australian government to 'take all action to deal with the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and prevent similar attacks in the future.' 'I view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters,' Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday. 'The reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of 'death to the IDF' and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted,' he added.
