Worshipers have been forced to flee an Australian synagogue after it was set on fire in what the prime minister condemned as an “act of hate”.
Firefighters were called to Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue shortly after 04:00 local time on Friday (17:00 GMT Thursday) to find the building completely engulfed in flames.
Community leaders told the media that “a number of people” were inside during morning prayers, and reported seeing bombs being thrown. One person was injured and the fire caused extensive damage.
Police said they believe the fire was set deliberately but are keeping an open mind about the motive.
In a statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident in Ripponlea, south-east of the city, was “clearly intended to cause fear in the community”.
“This violence and intimidation and the destruction of the place of worship is an outrage,” he wrote.
“I have zero tolerance for antisemitism.”
He added that he was informed by the Australian Federal Police, who will support the authorities in the state of Victoria.
“The people involved must be caught and face the law.”
Victoria Police said the cause of the fire was not yet known and the pharmacist who was burned will visit the site.
However, Det Insp Chris Murray said a witness told them that two people wearing masks were seen spreading quickly inside the building.
“We believe it was intentional. We believe it was intentional,” he added. “What we don’t know is why.”
He appealed to anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have CCTV or local dashcam footage, to contact the police.
Synagogue board member Benjamin Klein told The Age newspaper that people inside “heard banging on the door and the window, and the lighting fluid came in”.
“This whole thing started very quickly,” he said.
A man inside at the time, Yumi Friedman, added that a window had been smashed, sending “glass flying”.
Mr. Friedman told reporters that his hand was burned on the bottom of the door when he tried to return to the synagogue to put out the fire.
Det Insp Murray – who was confronted by an angry worshiper during a media briefing – said police would be putting more resources into the investigation and increasing patrols in the area.
“We will do everything we can to make sure they can go back, as they should, to their local synagogues, doing what is quintessentially Australian – which is to be able to worship without fear.”
Jewish community leaders say they believe the attack is an escalation of the recent rise in antisemitism in Australia.
“No Jewish community is surprised. We knew this was coming,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said.
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