Antisemitic incidents ‘an attack on Australia’

Australian political leaders and community figures have united to condemn the shocking arson attack on East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Friday night, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke declaring the incident “an attack on Australia”.

The attack occurred while 20 people were inside the synagogue, with the entrance door set alight. An arrest has been made, which authorities say was one of three related attacks that night involving arson, death chants and graffiti.

Less than 2km from the synagogue, a group of about 20 anti-Israel activists targeted Israeli restaurant Miznon chanting “death to the IDF”.

Activists said they targeted the restaurant, owned by Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani, because his business partner, entrepreneur Shahar Segal, advocates on behalf of the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid group.

Pro-Palestine activist Jemima Demanuele has been stood down from her role transferring patients at St Vincent’s Hospital after she was identified flipping off staff and patrons at the restaurant.

“We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or any other behaviour that interferes with people’s right to feel safe while going about their lives,” said a spokesperson for St Vincent’s Hospital.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attacks as “shocking” and promised strong action.

“Antisemitism has no place in Australia,” Albanese said.

“Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort.”

Burke, who visited the synagogue on Sunday morning alongside local MP Sarah Witty and former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, described the broader impact of the attacks.

“What we see on the door that’s behind me is an attack on Australia,” Burke said.

“There’s been some reporting that no one was physically injured. That doesn’t mean no one was harmed. The community here was harmed, the Jewish community in Australia was harmed, and we were harmed as a nation.”

Burke directly addressed concerns about Jewish Australians’ place in the country.

“You belong in Australia. You are welcome in Australia. And the Australian government has come here immediately to stand in solidarity with you,” he said in response to a question from The AJN.

The minister also took a strong stance against hate speech, stating: “I have a strong view that any chant that begins with the word death is steeped in bigotry and has no place in Australia.”

Dreyfus emphasised that the attack extended beyond the Jewish community.

“It’s an attack on the entire Australian community,” Dreyfus said.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin, who attended synagogue services the morning after the attack, said the incident was intended to intimidate the community.

“I think he was trying to scare us. He was trying to tell us that we’re not welcome here in Australia, but we know, as Jewish Australians, who are born here, who have grown up here, and who are raising our families, that we are welcome.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion revealed this was the 10th firebombing targeting the Australian Jewish community in the past 12 months.

“There is a pattern, and the pattern is of trying to intimidate us by using firebombing attacks on our institutions. That attempt at intimidation, as Naomi has said, will not succeed,” Aghion said.

“The fundamental problem is that the Jewish community is being singled out and attacked time and time again because of a conflict on the other side of the world.”

Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Nick Reece visited the synagogue and said, “These vile and racist acts have no place in our city of Melbourne,” while Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon called the attacks “disgraceful and vile”.

The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, also condemned the arson attack, denouncing it as a “shameful act, which disrupts the prayers of worshippers in their sacred space”.

Meanwhile in Sydney, pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded NSW Premier Chris Minns’ office on Saturday chanting “all Zionists are terrorists” and “death to the IDF”.

“These chants say more about the protesters than they do about me, although I do object to them blocking my office’s entry and intimidating genuine constituents from accessing help,” said Minns.