Man sets fire to synagogue in East Melbourne as Israeli-owned restaurant targeted by protesters
Photo:
ABC / Rachel Clayton
Police are investigating a third antisemitic incident that took place across Melbourne overnight.
A synagogue in East Melbourne was first set alight about 8pm (10pm New Zealand time) on Friday, followed by a protest at a Jewish-owned restaurant in the CBD a few hours later.
On Saturday afternoon, Victoria Police revealed details about another incident that occurred at a business in Greensborough about 4.30am (6.30am NZT).
"It's understood that unknown offenders attended a business on Para Road and set fire to three cars," Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said.
"They also used spray paint on the cars and a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, the other two were moderately damaged."
Commander Dunstan said the incident involved "some references of antisemitism", and the business had been subject to pro-Palestinian activity over the past year which led police to believe it may be connected to the other two incidents from Friday.
"At this stage there are no links, but police aren't discounting them," she said.
It comes after Australia's national security agency, ASIO, and federal police (AFP) joined the investigation into the arson attack on the synagogue and restaurant protest.
The Victorian premier, opposition and police have joined members of the Australian Jewish community in condemning both attacks in the CBD.
Investigators said a man entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street at about 8pm on Friday, poured a flammable liquid on the front door and set it alight.
There were about 20 people inside the synagogue at the time who evacuated through the building's rear, police said.
No injuries have been reported.
Victoria Police have released the image of a man detectives want to speak to about the fire.
He has been described as being of Caucasian appearance, believed to be in his 30s with a beard and long hair.
Damage from the fire was contained to the front entrance.
Police said neither of the three incidents were being treated as an act of terrorism at this stage.
It is the second arson attack on a Jewish place of worship in Melbourne since December, when a fire destroyed the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea in the city's inner south-east.
Last month, authorities raided a number of homes in Melbourne's north in relation to the Adass Israel attack and released CCTV vision of the incident.
Rabbi Dovid Gutnick was inside the synagogue at the time of the attack.
He said there had been a large number of people in the congregation, including locals, families and tourists, for the regular Friday service earlier.
He said some people remained to eat dinner when they began to notice some strange movements on their security camera feed.
He said someone began ringing the doorbell and then smoke began entering the building.
"I feel like if we didn't have a fire station on the corner and if we weren't as vigilant as we had been training ourselves to be, it could have been a lot worse," Rabbi Gutnick said.
Rabbi Gutnick said he believed the CCTV footage showed the attack was "well prepared" and deliberate.
"There's certainly kind of a pall or some type of darkness hovering at the moment and it's a bit uncomfortable, it's upsetting," he said.
"But at the same time, it kind of makes a synagogue like ours, our work even more important - to be welcoming, to be a beacon."
Jenny Segal, who was having dinner inside the synagogue when the fire broke out, said the incident was frightening.
"It was a very, very big night, very scary, but everybody was safe.
"I'm really shocked and can't believe that that could happen in our beautiful city and we always felt safe here but this is another feeling now after what's happened last night. It's very strange."
The incident at Miznon restaurant followed a protest involving around 70 people on Swanston Street in the evening before the smaller group continued to the Hardware Lane restaurant, shouting offensive chants.
A 28-year-old from Footscray was arrested and released on summons for hindering police.
Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines announced on Saturday morning that he had spoken with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.
"The full resources of ASIO and the AFP are backing Victoria Police in their investigations into both the attempted arson at the Melbourne East synagogue overnight, also the intimidation and violence that we saw at the restaurant in the CBD," Carbines said.
"Those who think they can set fire to a place of worship overnight that is full of worshippers, that is a heinous act, a horrific act, a criminal act and people will be held to account for it."
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she stood with the Jewish community in its fight against hate, violence and fear.
"This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards," Allan said.
"That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent."
She said the attack was designed to shatter the peace and traumatise Jewish families.
"Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of antisemitism.
"There should be no hesitation in calling this what it is."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also issued a brief statement about the attacks.
"Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my Government will provide all necessary support toward this effort," he said.
Federal Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly, said she and Mr Bourke had spoken to Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jill Segal, about the need for broader education about the "insidious nature of antisemitism and the impact it has on Jewish Australians".
Shadow Police Minister David Southwick is Jewish and his electorate includes a large section of Melbourne's Jewish community.
He said the attacks must be treated as hate crimes.
"We just cannot have a situation where the city of Melbourne is being hijacked by these activists and really want to play out what's happening in the Middle East thousands of miles away.
"It has nothing to do with Melburnians, it has nothing to do with many Jews in Melbourne who just want to get on with their lives."
He said the synagogue targeted by the arsonist was one of the oldest in Melbourne, dating back to the 1870s.
Rabbi Gutnick said security may be tightened around the synagogue to make it harder to access the building.
"But you also want the synagogue to be welcoming," he said.
"We're part of a faith precinct - St Peter's, St Patrick's, the Lutheran church ... it's a beautiful space, it's peaceful, by and large, we all get along, we have a clergy meeting once a month ... it's a lovely part of town, you'd hate to think we'd turn it into Fort Knox."
One of the leaders of a neighbouring church arrived at the scene this morning to support Rabbi Gutnick.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin said she was heartened by the number of passers-by who stopped to offer support and sympathy to members of the congregation.
"[Melbourne's] Lord Mayor Nick Reece was there, staff from the premier's office came down," she said.
"It just showed that [the attackers] are outliers. These are extremists, this is not who we are, Australians are not violent or aggressive."
Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley called the arson attack "horrifying".
What happened in Melbourne last night was horrifying. A synagogue set alight while families gathered for Shabbat dinner. An Israeli restaurant stormed and terrorised by protesters chanting 'death to the IDF.'
This is not protest. This is hate.
And it has no place in Australia.
Chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Dvir Abramovich, said the synagogue attack was barbaric and could have been fatal.
"They came armed with hatred," Abramovich said.
"We are not asking for sympathy. We want action. We want justice. We want protection."
- ABC
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