The Australian state of Victoria is establishing a new anti-hate task force in response to an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue, the latest in a series of antisemitic incidents across the country, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The East Melbourne Synagogue, where 20 worshippers were present, was targeted on Friday night. Though the worshippers escaped unharmed, the attack is being investigated as a deliberate act of antisemitic violence.
Premier Jacinta Allan, speaking outside the synagogue, declared, “Just as the fire came to the front door here of this synagogue, it was stopped. So too must we put a stop to antisemitism.”
“It has no place here in Melbourne and Victoria—it has no place anywhere.”
The new task force will include the Premier, Police Minister, Melbourne’s Mayor, and law enforcement officials, with representatives from the Jewish community invited to participate. The group will help draft legislation aimed at enhancing police powers during violent protests and banning Face coverings, Terrorist symbols, and Lock-on devices used to obstruct police.
A 34-year-old man from Sydney was arrested by counterterrorism police and charged with criminal damage by fire, among other offences. Authorities allege he poured a flammable liquid on the synagogue’s front door and set it alight before fleeing.
The attack is part of a broader surge in antisemitic acts since the onset of the Israel–Gaza war in October 2023. Incidents include vandalism, arson, and hate graffiti targeting Jewish homes, schools, synagogues, and vehicles.
In January, a former residence of a senior Jewish leader in Sydney was vandalised, and multiple properties—including a Jewish school—were attacked with antisemitic slurs. In a separate incident last year, Melbourne’s Adass synagogue, initially built by Holocaust survivors, was severely damaged in a fire that left one person injured.
Victoria’s government has pledged firm action to confront antisemitism, with Premier Allan reaffirming that protecting the Jewish community is a top priority.
Photo credit: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images
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