Political, community leaders condemn arson attack in Melbourne

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Political and community leaders have condemned an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue. Early-morning worshippers inside reported seeing two masked men throw fuel into the building and setting it alight.

Transcript

00:00The attack occurred at about 4 a.m. this morning.

00:05There were actually people studying inside the synagogue at that time,

00:09and they report seeing two suspects who threw accelerant into the synagogue,

00:14and shortly after it was engulfed in flames.

00:17Now those inside managed to escape without injury.

00:20Here's how one of them described it.

00:22I heard a big bang, like a sledgehammer on the door, and I got a shock.

00:27On the second ladder there was a window, and I saw glass flying,

00:30so I knew that someone was trying to break in there.

00:32So I shook myself, and I raced out through the hall back into the lane.

00:37I got a fish shop in the back of the lane, so I went into the fish shop.

00:42Then I realised I left my phone inside.

00:44I wasn't going to go back inside, so I'm part of a tooler.

00:47I radioed in that I'm in trouble, I need backup.

00:50So police say they are looking for two suspects.

00:52They've been combing local businesses for CCTV.

00:55They've also been door-knocking houses,

00:57and there has been an arson chemist present here on site today.

01:01They have expressed disgust at this attack

01:04and say they will do everything they can to bring those responsible to justice.

01:10We will do everything we can to bring these individuals before the courts

01:15and to let the community know that we're going to do our best

01:19to ensure that they can return, as they should, to their local synagogues

01:25and do what is absolutely Australian, that is, to be able to worship without fear.

01:31Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been very strong to condemn these attacks.

01:36He was out on radio this morning, shortly after they occurred,

01:40and said they were anti-Semitic and all Australians should condemn them.

01:44And later on in the afternoon he actually appeared on camera at a press conference

01:49and reiterated those views and said this was an attack on Australian values.

01:53He also said he remained in contact with the AFP, he'd been briefed by them,

01:57and he'd encouraged them to give any resources to Victoria Police

02:02that they may need to track down the people who've done this.

02:06This was a shocking incident.

02:10It should be unequivocally condemned.

02:12There's no place in Australia for an outrage such as this.

02:18To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values.

02:25The local community here are in shock and certainly people have been milling here all day.

02:30As it's been described to us, this wasn't just a place where you came once a week.

02:35People are using this synagogue every single day for different activities and different worship.

02:40It was at the centre of the community.

02:43It was actually built by Holocaust survivors who chose to resettle in Melbourne after the war.

02:48So that gives you an idea of the significance that this synagogue holds for the local community.

02:54And they say they're devastated by this attack.

02:57Our priority is to make sure this community can live as proud Australians and proud Jewish people.

03:04We urge police to do everything they can to find the culprits of this terrible incident.

03:10And we'll be supporting the Adas Israel community,

03:13those who come and pray at this synagogue every day,

03:16to be able to live as safe and proud Jewish Victorians.

03:23And look, certainly some Jewish people we've spoken to here are angry

03:27and some people from, I guess, the federal bodies are angry too

03:30and say this attack shouldn't come as a surprise.

03:33They've said that since the war in Gaza, attacks on Jewish people have been escalating.

03:38And they've expressed anger at leaders for not calling out anti-Semitic attacks

03:43when they believe they should be called out.

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