A firebomb attack on a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, has forced worshippers to flee in an incident Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as a “clear act of hate.”
The fire broke out early Friday morning at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, south-east Melbourne. Firefighters arrived shortly after 4:00 a.m. local time to find the building fully engulfed in flames.
Several worshippers were inside for morning prayers when the fire started, reportedly seeing firebombs thrown into the building.
One person sustained burns, and the synagogue suffered extensive damage.
Witnesses said masked individuals spread an accelerant inside the building before igniting the blaze.
Prime Minister Albanese condemned the attack, emphasizing a zero-tolerance stance on antisemitism.
In a statement, he said, “This violence and intimidation and destruction at a place of worship is an outrage. I have zero tolerance for antisemitism.”
He assured the public that the Australian Federal Police would support local authorities in their investigation and pledged that those responsible would face the full weight of the law.
Victoria Police have confirmed the fire was deliberately set, although they are still investigating the motive.
Arson specialists are examining the scene, and authorities have appealed for witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.
Synagogue board member Benjamin Klein recounted how those inside the synagogue heard banging and saw liquid being thrown through a window, which quickly ignited.
One of the worshippers present, Yumi Friedman, described glass shattering and suffering burns on his hand while attempting to re-enter the building to fight the fire.
The incident has heightened fears within the Jewish community, which has already reported a rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia.
President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Daniel Aghion, said, “None of the Jewish community is surprised. We’ve known this has been coming.”
Det Insp Chris Murray assured the public that police would dedicate significant resources to the investigation and bolster patrols in the area to reassure worshippers of their safety.
“We’re going to do our best to make sure they can return, as they should, to their local synagogues, doing what is absolutely Australian – that is to be able to worship without fear,” he said.
Jewish community leaders have called the attack an escalation of documented antisemitism in the country.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for heightened security measures to protect religious institutions and minority communities.
