A man believed to have ignited a fire at an Australian synagogue while worshippers were having dinner inside has been arrested and charged, according to police.
The 34-year-old is accused of setting the front door of a bustling Melbourne synagogue on fire on Friday night, with approximately 20 individuals dining in celebration of Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest.
This incident has sparked strong condemnation from the prime ministers of both Australia and Israel.
Victoria state police have charged the man with multiple offences, including reckless conduct that endangered lives.
The worshippers managed to escape safely through the back of the synagogue before firefighters extinguished the flames.
Authorities stated they have not yet found a connection between this incident and two other assaults on Jewish residents in Melbourne that occurred on the same night.
A group of around 20 protesters gathered at an Israeli-owned restaurant, interrupting the dinner service while chanting at diners.
According to local media, the protesters reportedly overturned tables and broke a window.
In a separate incident in another part of the city, cars were set ablaze and vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the synagogue attack a “cowardly” act of violence.
“The fact that individuals were enjoying a peaceful dinner and were disturbed by this act of violence could have had catastrophic consequences,” he said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as “reprehensible,” also condemning the restaurant incident as a “violent assault.”
“We urge the Australian government to take all necessary actions to address the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and to prevent similar incidents in the future,” he added.
In recent months, Jewish communities in Melbourne and Sydney have experienced a surge of anti-Semitic vandalism.
In December, masked arsonists firebombed another Melbourne synagogue, leading the government to establish a federal task force focused on combating antisemitism.
