Latest news with #MelbourneHebrewCongregation
Perth Now
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
State reacts to anti-Semitic attacks
An anti-hate taskforce will assemble in Melbourne this week in the wake of the latest violent anti-Semitic incidents. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has pulled together the taskforce after a synagogue was firebombed, a Jewish-owned restaurant was stormed while people ate inside, and another business was vandalised; all across this past weekend. Ms Allan made a private visit to the targeted synagogue on Monday morning before the taskforce meets later in the week. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the attacks. NewsWire / Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia The front door of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation was set on fire on Friday night. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The Premier has tapped the Police Minister, Lord Mayor and police executives for the 'anti-hate' taskforce, Ms Allan's office says. Invitations will go out to representatives of Melbourne's Jewish community. The first of this weekend's three incidents happened at the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation at 8pm on Friday as about 20 adults and children worshipped inside. Angelo Loras, 34, from NSW, allegedly poured accelerant on the front door and set fire to the synagogue. Nobody inside was physically injured. Mr Loras was arrested about 24 hours later and has been charged with recklessly endangering life. 'Free Palestine' was graffitied onto the wall of a restaurant in the Melbourne CBD. NewsWire / Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia Police spoke to the owners of the popular restaurant. NewsWire / Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia Police are still assessing whether the incident constituted an act of terrorism. In a separate incident in the CBD on Friday night, an Israeli-owned restaurant was targeted. As people ate, a group of people who had split off from an anti-police violence protest harassed and intimidated diners. This incident happened on busy Hardware Lane. A 28-year-old from Footscray was arrested for hindering police and released on summons. Police have now released footage of a third incident, this too believed to have anti-Israeli motivations. This act of vandalism happened at a business in the northeast suburb of Greensborough about 4am on Saturday. Cars were set alight and vandalised at the business in Melbourne's northeast early on Saturday morning. Supplied Credit: Supplied One of the three cars targeted by arsonists was destroyed. Supplied Credit: Supplied Police say five people entered the property on Para Rd and set fire to three cars. One of the cars was destroyed. 'The group also used red spray paint to write various slogans on the cars and on a building wall,' a police spokesperson said. Police released footage of the attack early on Monday; masked people set two cars on fire, while one person spray paints one of the cars. 'While investigators continue to liaise with Counter Terrorism Command to establish if there are any connections to the arson on the synagogue in East Melbourne and a public order incident on Hardware Lane, at this time no links have been identified,' a police spokesperson said. 'There is absolutely no place at all in our society for ant-Semitic behaviour.' Police say this group took off on e-bikes in a south-westerly direction along Plenty River. All were wearing black hoodies, with backpacks and gloves.
Daily Telegraph
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Vandals target Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. An iconic Melbourne religious institution has been vandalised twice in a day. The heritage-listed Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue was targeted by vandals on Sunday. One piece of graffiti read 'Iran is da bomb' inscribed in a mushroom cloud, alongside another piece of vandalism that said 'free Palestine'. 'It is believed a wall of the Toorak Road premises was graffitied by an unknown person sometime on Sunday afternoon,' a police spokesman said. 'That was removed but unknown offenders again graffitied the building sometime on Sunday evening.' The graffiti was scrawled soon after US bombs fell on Iran. Picture: Supplied The original graffitied message also said 'free Palestine'. 'There is absolutely no place at all in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour,' the police spokesman said. Police want anyone with information to come forward. Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson told the Herald Sun: 'We're just frustrated and exhausted by all of this and we hope that is shared by members outside Jewish community'. 'We feel this to be an attack on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and it is unacceptable. 'While this is an offence to the Jewish community, it is our hope that people say 'not on my watch, not in my Australia',' the Rabbi said. A pro-Palestine message was graffitied on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Sunday. Picture: Supplied Chair of Australia's non-governmental Anti Defamation Commission, Dvir Abramovich, told NewsWire the graffiti represented an attack on religious freedom. 'There are moments that stop us cold. This is one of them,' Dr Abramovich said. 'This was not random. It was a calculated attempt to intimidate Jewish Australians. 'Let us be clear: an attack on a synagogue is an attack on every church, every mosque, every temple. It is an attack on the very idea that faith can be practised freely, without fear.' The Premier labelled the graffiti 'disgraceful' and 'senseless'. 'It is just so vitally important that we do not allow conflict and violence overseas to divide us here in Melbourne and Victoria,' Jacinta Allan said. The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is a monumental temple on the high-traffic corner of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road, about 2km south of the CBD. The building was constructed between 1928 and 1930. The synagogue is heritage-listed for its historical, aesthetic and social significance. The graffiti referencing Iran was written about 12 hours after the US bombed Iranian facilities, which are suspected of being used to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons. Originally published as 'Iran is da bomb': Vandals target historic Melbourne synagogue
Courier-Mail
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Courier-Mail
Vandals target Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. An iconic Melbourne religious institution has been vandalised twice in a day. The heritage-listed Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue was targeted by vandals on Sunday. One piece of graffiti read 'Iran is da bomb' inscribed in a mushroom cloud, alongside another piece of vandalism that said 'free Palestine'. 'It is believed a wall of the Toorak Road premises was graffitied by an unknown person sometime on Sunday afternoon,' a police spokesman said. 'That was removed but unknown offenders again graffitied the building sometime on Sunday evening.' The graffiti was scrawled soon after US bombs fell on Iran. Picture: Supplied The original graffitied message also said 'free Palestine'. 'There is absolutely no place at all in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour,' the police spokesman said. Police want anyone with information to come forward. Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson told the Herald Sun: 'We're just frustrated and exhausted by all of this and we hope that is shared by members outside Jewish community'. 'We feel this to be an attack on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and it is unacceptable. 'While this is an offence to the Jewish community, it is our hope that people say 'not on my watch, not in my Australia',' the Rabbi said. A pro-Palestine message was graffitied on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Sunday. Picture: Supplied Chair of Australia's non-governmental Anti Defamation Commission, Dvir Abramovich, told NewsWire the graffiti represented an attack on religious freedom. 'There are moments that stop us cold. This is one of them,' Dr Abramovich said. 'This was not random. It was a calculated attempt to intimidate Jewish Australians. 'Let us be clear: an attack on a synagogue is an attack on every church, every mosque, every temple. It is an attack on the very idea that faith can be practised freely, without fear.' The Premier labelled the graffiti 'disgraceful' and 'senseless'. 'It is just so vitally important that we do not allow conflict and violence overseas to divide us here in Melbourne and Victoria,' Jacinta Allan said. The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is a monumental temple on the high-traffic corner of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road, about 2km south of the CBD. The building was constructed between 1928 and 1930. The synagogue is heritage-listed for its historical, aesthetic and social significance. The graffiti referencing Iran was written about 12 hours after the US bombed Iranian facilities, which are suspected of being used to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons. Originally published as 'Iran is da bomb': Vandals target historic Melbourne synagogue
Sky News AU
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Vandals target Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue
An iconic Melbourne religious institution has been vandalised twice in a day. The heritage-listed Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue was targeted by vandals on Sunday. One piece of graffiti read 'Iran is da bomb' inscribed in a mushroom cloud, alongside another piece of vandalism that said 'free Palestine'. 'It is believed a wall of the Toorak Road premises was graffitied by an unknown person sometime on Sunday afternoon,' a police spokesman said. 'That was removed but unknown offenders again graffitied the building sometime on Sunday evening.' The original graffitied message also said 'free Palestine'. 'There is absolutely no place at all in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour,' the police spokesman said. Police want anyone with information to come forward. Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson told the Herald Sun: 'We're just frustrated and exhausted by all of this and we hope that is shared by members outside Jewish community'. 'We feel this to be an attack on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and it is unacceptable. 'While this is an offence to the Jewish community, it is our hope that people say 'not on my watch, not in my Australia',' the Rabbi said. Chair of Australia's non-governmental Anti Defamation Commission, Dvir Abramovich, told NewsWire the graffiti represented an attack on religious freedom. 'There are moments that stop us cold. This is one of them,' Dr Abramovich said. 'This was not random. It was a calculated attempt to intimidate Jewish Australians. 'Let us be clear: an attack on a synagogue is an attack on every church, every mosque, every temple. It is an attack on the very idea that faith can be practised freely, without fear.' The Premier labelled the graffiti 'disgraceful' and 'senseless'. 'It is just so vitally important that we do not allow conflict and violence overseas to divide us here in Melbourne and Victoria,' Jacinta Allan said. The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is a monumental temple on the high-traffic corner of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road, about 2km south of the CBD. The building was constructed between 1928 and 1930. The synagogue is heritage-listed for its historical, aesthetic and social significance. The graffiti referencing Iran was written about 12 hours after the US bombed Iranian facilities, which are suspected of being used to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons. Originally published as 'Iran is da bomb': Vandals target historic Melbourne synagogue
West Australian
23-06-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
‘Iran is da bomb': Vandals target historic Melbourne synagogue
An iconic Melbourne religious institution has been vandalised twice in a day. The heritage-listed Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue was targeted by vandals on Sunday. One piece of graffiti read 'Iran is da bomb' inscribed in a mushroom cloud, alongside another piece of vandalism that said 'free Palestine'. 'It is believed a wall of the Toorak Road premises was graffitied by an unknown person sometime on Sunday afternoon,' a police spokesman said. 'That was removed but unknown offenders again graffitied the building sometime on Sunday evening.' The original graffitied message also said 'free Palestine'. 'There is absolutely no place at all in our society for anti-Semitic or hate-based symbols and behaviour,' the police spokesman said. Police want anyone with information to come forward. Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson told the Herald Sun: 'We're just frustrated and exhausted by all of this and we hope that is shared by members outside Jewish community'. 'We feel this to be an attack on the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and it is unacceptable. 'While this is an offence to the Jewish community, it is our hope that people say 'not on my watch, not in my Australia',' the Rabbi said. The Premier labelled the graffiti 'disgraceful' and 'senseless'. 'It is just so vitally important that we do not allow conflict and violence overseas to divide us here in Melbourne and Victoria,' Jacinta Allan said. The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation is a monumental temple on the high-traffic corner of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road, about 2km south of the CBD. The building was constructed between 1928 and 1930. The synagogue is heritage-listed for its historical, aesthetic and social significance. The graffiti referencing Iran was written about 12 hours after the US bombed Iranian facilities, which are suspected of being used to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons.
