Victorian government announces new police taskforce in wake of 'sickening' antisemitic attacks
Premier Jacinta Allan said the taskforce would work to crack down on antisemitism after a synagogue in Melbourne's east was set on fire on Friday.
Twenty people were forced to flee the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation after a man allegedly poured flammable liquid on the front door and set it on fire during a Shabbat meal.
A 34-year-old man from Sydney has been charged over the incident, briefly appearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday.
He has been remanded in custody until later this month.
Ms Allan thanked Victoria Police for their swift actions over what she described as a "sickening crime".
"Places of worship like this synagogue are a part of our fabric as a society," she said.
"We will protect them with everything we've got."
She said a new Anti-Hate Taskforce between governments and police would "look at the bigger picture across our city and state" and vowed to increase police powers to enforce tougher protest laws rolled out earlier this year.
The taskforce is expected to hold its first meeting this week.
Shortly after the attack on the synagogue, about 20 protesters interrupted diners at an Israeli-owned restaurant in the CBD.
In a statement posted to social media, the group behind a No Police at Protests movement said it targeted the restaurant because it was part-owned by Israeli businessman Shahar Segal.
Mr Segal is a spokesman for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli and US-backed organisation that has been criticised for how it distributes aid in Gaza.
But the group denied that incident was linked to the attack at the synagogue.
"Pro-Palestinian activists have never attacked places of worship, and we condemn such attacks," the statement read.
On Saturday afternoon, police revealed a business in Greensborough was also targeted.
"It's understood that unknown offenders attended a business on Para Road and set fire to three cars," Acting Commander Zorka Dunstan said.
"They also used spray paint on the cars and a building wall. One of the cars was destroyed, the other two were moderately damaged."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the weekend incidents.
"It is completely unacceptable the attack that occurred at a restaurant in Melbourne, and also the attack on a business in the outer suburbs of Melbourne," Mr Albanese said on Saturday night.
"The fact that people were having a peaceful dinner and were disrupted by this act of violence could have had catastrophic consequences."
On Sunday afternoon, police said they were also investigating antisemitic graffiti near a holocaust museum in Elsternwick in Melbourne's south-east.
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