Australia: Man arrested after arson attack on Melbourne synagogue

Following an arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne , Australia, police have arrested a suspect. A possible terrorist motive is still being investigated, police said on Sunday. So far, the 34-year-old has been charged with endangering the lives of others through negligent behavior. Two other suspected anti-Semitic incidents occurred in Melbourne on Friday. A connection is also currently being investigated.

According to police, the attack on the synagogue occurred on Friday evening. A man set fire to the door of the house of worship, where around 20 worshippers had gathered for the Sabbath. The people were able to escape through the back door, and no one was injured. The suspected perpetrator was initially able to flee.

In another incident in Melbourne, a group of about 20 people stormed an Israeli-run restaurant on Friday. According to local media reports, they overturned tables and smashed a window. In another area, cars were set on fire and sprayed with anti-Semitic graffiti.

The heads of government of Australia and Israel condemned the attack on the synagogue. "Last night's arson attack (...) is cowardly, an act of violence and anti-Semitism, and has no place in Australian society," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday. He expressed hope that the perpetrator could soon be brought to justice.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the act "reprehensible" in a statement, blaming "pro-Palestinian rioters" for the attack on the restaurant. Netanyahu called on the Australian government to take "full legal action" against the perpetrators and prevent further "anti-Semitic attacks" of this kind.

There have been several anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne and Sydney in recent months. In December, masked men set fire to a synagogue in a Melbourne suburb.

The number of anti-Semitic incidents rose to a new high worldwide last year, as the US organization Anti-Defamation League (ADL) stated in May. Even before the start of the Gaza War, triggered by Hamas's major attack on Israel, the number of anti-Semitic incidents had increased. According to the ADL, after October 7, 2023, "a tsunami of hatred against Jewish communities around the world" followed.