Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged federal assistance to Victoria following a suspected arson attack on a synagogue in East Melbourne on Friday night, an incident being treated as potentially antisemitic in nature.   According to Victoria Police, an unidentified man allegedly entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street around 8pm. He reportedly poured a flammable substance onto the synagogue’s front door before igniting it. Authorities say the suspect fled westward on foot. According to The Guardian, approximately 20 people were inside the synago

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged federal assistance to Victoria following a suspected arson attack on a synagogue in East Melbourne on Friday night, an incident being treated as potentially antisemitic in nature.

  According to Victoria Police, an unidentified man allegedly entered the grounds of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street around 8pm. He reportedly poured a flammable substance onto the synagogue’s front door before igniting it. Authorities say the suspect fled westward on foot. According to The Guardian, approximately 20 people were inside the synagogue at the time. They were safely evacuated through a rear exit, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters managed to quickly contain the blaze, which was limited to the building's entrance. Police continue to investigate the incident, seeking CCTV footage and working to determine the suspect's motive. An arson chemist has been deployed to examine the scene. Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan also confirmed that a second incident is under investigation. In the early hours of Saturday morning, three vehicles were allegedly set alight at a business in Greensborough. One car was destroyed, two sustained moderate damage, and offensive graffiti was spray-painted on a vehicle and a nearby wall. Dunstan said local detectives are working with the counterterrorism and crime commands to assess whether the two events are connected. “Antisemitic or hate-based acts have no place in our society,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

The Synagogue's door damaged by fire. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Source: The Guardian

Prime Minister Albanese denounced the arson, vowing that those responsible would face justice. “Acts like these are shocking and unacceptable. My government stands ready to support Victoria in ensuring the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said. The attack occurred during Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, intensifying the distress within the Jewish community. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the incident as “disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards.” “That this occurred on Shabbat makes it even more abhorrent,” she said. “An attack on a place of worship is an act of hate. An attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of antisemitism.” Allan extended support to the synagogue congregation, including the women and children present during the incident, and reaffirmed her government’s commitment to fighting antisemitism. “To our Jewish community: I stand with you in the fight against hate and fear. The people of Victoria stand with you, too,” she said. Federal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly issued a joint statement condemning the attacks as “disgusting and cowardly.” Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines said he had spoken with federal authorities and confirmed that the Australian Federal Police and ASIO would assist the investigation. He also indicated that legislation first proposed in December targeting protest face coverings and certain flags, would return to Parliament after the winter break. Victorian Liberal MP David Southwick called for justice, expressing his solidarity with the Jewish community. “We cannot allow hate to take root in our streets, our city, or our state,” he said. “We must stand united against antisemitic violence.” Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley called the incident “horrifying” and emphasized that such acts “have no place in Australia.” Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, warned that the events marked a dangerous escalation in antisemitism. “This is clear evidence that the antisemitism crisis is deepening,” he said. “We urge leaders across all political lines to unequivocally condemn these crimes.” Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also weighed in, strongly condemning what he called “vile antisemitic attacks” in Melbourne, including the synagogue arson and a separate incident involving violence at the Israeli restaurant Miznon in the Melbourne CBD. “There have been far too many antisemitic incidents in Australia,” Sa’ar wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Israel stands firmly with the Jewish community in Australia.”

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