Australian police charge man over suspected arson attack on Melbourne synagogue

SYDNEY, July 6 — Australian police have charged a man in connection with an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue that was occupied by worshippers at the time — the latest in a string of incidents targeting the country’s Jewish community.

The fire broke out at the East Melbourne Synagogue on Friday night, while about 20 people were inside. All occupants managed to escape unharmed, and firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze in Victoria’s capital.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023, Australia has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents.

According to police, counterterrorism officers arrested a 34-year-old man from Sydney late yesterday. He was charged with multiple offences, including criminal damage by fire, and is expected to appear in court on Sunday. His identity has not been released.

Police allege the man poured a flammable liquid on the synagogue’s front door and set it alight before fleeing the scene.

Authorities are also investigating whether the synagogue fire is linked to a separate incident on Friday night involving a disturbance at an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne, where one person was arrested for obstructing police. The restaurant sustained significant damage, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, which represents the country’s Jewish community.

The council said the synagogue — one of the oldest in Melbourne — was targeted just as worshippers were sitting down for Sabbath dinner.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack on X, calling it “a vile arson attack targeting Jews in Melbourne’s historic and oldest synagogue on the Sabbath, and on an Israeli restaurant where people had come to enjoy a meal together.”

“This is not the first such attack in Australia in recent months. But it must be the last,” Herzog wrote.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned the incident, calling it “shocking” and saying those responsible must be held fully accountable under the law. He added that his government would offer all necessary support in the investigation.

In recent months, homes, schools, synagogues, and vehicles across Australia have been subjected to antisemitic vandalism and arson. In March, police revealed a fake plot by organised crime to use a caravan bomb in an attack on a Sydney synagogue, allegedly to divert police attention. — Reuters