Police in Australia charge man over alleged arson on Melbourne synagogue

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Char marks on the door of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne, on July 5.

PHOTO: EPA

SYDNEY - Australian police have charged a man in connection with an alleged

arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue

There were no injuries to the 20 people inside the East Melbourne Synagogue, who fled from the fire on the night of July 4. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in the capital of the state of Victoria.

Australia has experienced several anti-semitic incidents since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023.

Counter-terrorism detectives late on July 5 arrested the 34-year-old resident of Sydney, capital of neighbouring New South Wales, charging him with offences including criminal damage by fire, police said. The man, whom authorities have not identified, was due to face court on July 6.

“The man allegedly poured a flammable liquid on the front door of the building and set it on fire before fleeing the scene,” police said in a statement.

Authorities are investigating whether the synagogue fire was linked to a disturbance on the night of July 4 at an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne, in which one person was arrested for hindering police.

The restaurant was extensively damaged, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for Australia’s Jews.

It said the fire at the synagogue, one of Melbourne’‘s oldest, was set as those inside sat down to Sabbath dinner.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog went on X to “condemn outright