Canberra, July 5
In a series of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia overnight, the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Albert Street became the target of an arson attack. Additionally, a few hours later, about 20 protesters gathered outside an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD) in the state of Victoria, according to local media reports.
The Victoria Police further revealed details about another incident that occurred at a business in the Greensborough suburb in Melbourne early Saturday morning.
“It's understood that unknown offenders attended a business on Para Road and set fire to three cars. They also used spray paint on the cars and a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, the other two were moderately damaged,” Australian state-run news agency ABC quoted the Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan as saying.
Commander Dunstan mentioned that the incident involved “some references of anti-Semitism”, and the business had witnessed pro-Palestinian activity over the past year, leading the police to believe that it may be linked to the other two incidents from Friday.
“At this stage there are no links, but police aren't discounting them,’ she said.
This came after Australia’s national security agency, ASIO, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) joined the Victoria Police in the investigation into the arson attack on the synagogue (Jewish house of worship)and restaurant protest.