Overview

• Police allege a 34-year-old man poured flammable liquid on the synagogue door during Shabbat services and set it alight, forcing about 20 worshippers to flee without injury.
• Authorities have classified the attack as a serious crime and are investigating possible ideological motivations under a joint state-federal counterterrorism operation.
• On the same night, masked protesters stormed the Israeli-owned Miznon restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD, chanting “Death to the IDF,” and one person was arrested for hindering police.
• Investigators have appealed for CCTV, dashcam footage and eyewitness accounts to identify accomplices and clarify the offender’s motive.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the incident and urged lawmakers to pass tougher hate-crime and protest regulations.