Latest news with #LovittTechnologiesAustralia
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Weapons company car park targeted as police search for group of arsonists
Five hooded vandals, who allegedly set parked cars alight in an arson attack, are wanted by police. The target of the group's alleged attack was Lovitt Technologies Australia, a business involved in defence and military manufacturing, based in Melbourne's northeast. The group allegedly spray-painted cars in the business's car park at the Para Road office in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5. The group then set fire to three cars, police said. "One of the vehicles was destroyed, while the other two sustained moderate damage," police said. The group allegedly hopped over the business's back fence and fled the scene on e-bikes along Plenty River. "Various slogans" were spray-painted on the cars and on a business wall. Police did not offer information on the painted messages but did say that "there is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic behaviour". Detectives have explored potential links to an arson attack at a synagogue in East Melbourne and a clash outside Miznon restaurant in Melbourne's CBD. "At this time, no links have been identified," police confirmed. It comes as Victoria established a new anti-hate taskforce to tackle the "bigger picture" of anti-Semitism, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at Five hooded vandals, who allegedly set parked cars alight in an arson attack, are wanted by police. The target of the group's alleged attack was Lovitt Technologies Australia, a business involved in defence and military manufacturing, based in Melbourne's northeast. The group allegedly spray-painted cars in the business's car park at the Para Road office in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5. The group then set fire to three cars, police said. "One of the vehicles was destroyed, while the other two sustained moderate damage," police said. The group allegedly hopped over the business's back fence and fled the scene on e-bikes along Plenty River. "Various slogans" were spray-painted on the cars and on a business wall. Police did not offer information on the painted messages but did say that "there is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic behaviour". Detectives have explored potential links to an arson attack at a synagogue in East Melbourne and a clash outside Miznon restaurant in Melbourne's CBD. "At this time, no links have been identified," police confirmed. It comes as Victoria established a new anti-hate taskforce to tackle the "bigger picture" of anti-Semitism, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at Five hooded vandals, who allegedly set parked cars alight in an arson attack, are wanted by police. The target of the group's alleged attack was Lovitt Technologies Australia, a business involved in defence and military manufacturing, based in Melbourne's northeast. The group allegedly spray-painted cars in the business's car park at the Para Road office in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5. The group then set fire to three cars, police said. "One of the vehicles was destroyed, while the other two sustained moderate damage," police said. The group allegedly hopped over the business's back fence and fled the scene on e-bikes along Plenty River. "Various slogans" were spray-painted on the cars and on a business wall. Police did not offer information on the painted messages but did say that "there is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic behaviour". Detectives have explored potential links to an arson attack at a synagogue in East Melbourne and a clash outside Miznon restaurant in Melbourne's CBD. "At this time, no links have been identified," police confirmed. It comes as Victoria established a new anti-hate taskforce to tackle the "bigger picture" of anti-Semitism, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at Five hooded vandals, who allegedly set parked cars alight in an arson attack, are wanted by police. The target of the group's alleged attack was Lovitt Technologies Australia, a business involved in defence and military manufacturing, based in Melbourne's northeast. The group allegedly spray-painted cars in the business's car park at the Para Road office in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5. The group then set fire to three cars, police said. "One of the vehicles was destroyed, while the other two sustained moderate damage," police said. The group allegedly hopped over the business's back fence and fled the scene on e-bikes along Plenty River. "Various slogans" were spray-painted on the cars and on a business wall. Police did not offer information on the painted messages but did say that "there is absolutely no place at all in our society for antisemitic behaviour". Detectives have explored potential links to an arson attack at a synagogue in East Melbourne and a clash outside Miznon restaurant in Melbourne's CBD. "At this time, no links have been identified," police confirmed. It comes as Victoria established a new anti-hate taskforce to tackle the "bigger picture" of anti-Semitism, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at
The Age
11 hours ago
- The Age
Hooded vandals set cars on fire at weapons company before fleeing on e-bikes
Detectives have released CCTV of five hooded offenders who set cars alight and spray-painted graffiti in an attack on an Israel-linked weapons company in Melbourne's north-east. The footage shows hooded figures dressed in black, using red spray-paint to scrawl slogans on the cars and setting the vehicles on fire in the early hours of Saturday. The group also vandalised a wall of the Greensborough business, Lovitt Technologies Australia. One car was destroyed, while another two were 'moderately' damaged, Victoria Police said. Local detectives are working with specialists from the arson and explosives squad to investigate the incident, which occurred about 3.55am on Saturday when five people broke into the business, before the cars were vandalised. Police are yet to find evidence linking the vandalism to an attack on East Melbourne Synagogue on Friday, and an incident later that night wherein 20 people stormed Israeli restaurant Miznon in Melbourne's CBD. Lovitt Technologies Australia, on Para Road in Greensborough, is a weapons company with links to Israel. It has previously been targeted by protesters opposing the Israeli military. 'Detectives are today releasing CCTV of five people they would like to speak to in relation to the incident,' Victoria Police said in a statement on Monday.
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hooded vandals set cars on fire at weapons company before fleeing on e-bikes
Detectives have released CCTV of five hooded offenders who set cars alight and spray-painted graffiti in an attack on an Israel-linked weapons company in Melbourne's north-east. The footage shows hooded figures dressed in black, using red spray-paint to scrawl slogans on the cars and setting the vehicles on fire in the early hours of Saturday. The group also vandalised a wall of the Greensborough business, Lovitt Technologies Australia. One car was destroyed, while another two were 'moderately' damaged, Victoria Police said. Local detectives are working with specialists from the arson and explosives squad to investigate the incident, which occurred about 3.55am on Saturday when five people broke into the business, before the cars were vandalised. Police are yet to find evidence linking the vandalism to an attack on East Melbourne Synagogue on Friday, and an incident later that night wherein 20 people stormed Israeli restaurant Miznon in Melbourne's CBD. Lovitt Technologies Australia, on Para Road in Greensborough, is a weapons company with links to Israel. It has previously been targeted by protesters opposing the Israeli military. 'Detectives are today releasing CCTV of five people they would like to speak to in relation to the incident,' Victoria Police said in a statement on Monday.
The Age
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Age
Police reveal identity of man charged over East Melbourne Synagogue fire
A group of about 20 people, some masked and wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, entered the CBD Israeli restaurant, Miznon, at 8.15pm. They shouted offensive chants, scuffling with staff and knocking over tables, before police arrived and arrested one man. Footage from the Miznon incident shows diners screaming in fear inside the Hardware Lane restaurant, which is part-owned by an Israeli entrepreneur who has been promoting a controversial aid group in Gaza. A police source, who cannot be identified speaking about operational matters, said at least one of those who invaded the restaurant was part of a group known to counter-terrorism police for sometimes organising left-wing protests that turned violent. Victoria Police declined to comment on the identity of the person or the nature of the groups involved . A police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing into the incident at Miznon. Police are also investigating a third incident, where three cars were set on fire and the wall of a business in Melbourne's north-east was spray-painted with graffiti against the Israeli military about 4.30am on Saturday. The vandalised business, Lovitt Technologies Australia, on Para Road in Greensborough, is a weapons company with links to Israel and had previously been targeted by protesters opposing the Israeli military. The business was contacted for comment. Police condemn string of incidents No one was injured in any of the incidents and none were deemed terrorism, but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said on Saturday that officers would investigate the motives of those involved. 'The investigation is under the security investigation unit, who is part of our counterterrorism command. The security investigation unit investigates matters of communal violence,' Dunstan said. 'We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent, but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident. In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved or person to determine if this is, in fact, terrorism.' Dunstan alleged that the three incidents all had 'inferences of antisemitism' or anti-Israel protest activity, but investigators had yet to find a connection between them. 'We are taking all three incidents incredibly seriously. There's no place in Australia for hatred or discrimination of any kind, and we condemn it.' In addition to the significant police presence in the CBD for Sunday's pro-Palestine protests, officers are providing proactive patrols in the areas around the attacks. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan both condemned the attacks on Saturday. Loading 'Antisemitism has no place in Australia,' Albanese said. 'Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law, and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort.' Allan said: 'This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards. That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent.' Restaurant targeted after calls for boycott About the same time the synagogue was set alight on Friday night, police said a splinter group of about 20 people broke off from a larger anti-police protest in Melbourne's CBD and walked to the Israeli restaurant on Hardware Lane, where they shouted offensive chants. An independent photographer at the scene said the group asked patrons why they were giving money to the restaurant. The group chanted 'death to the IDF' and 'Miznon out of Melbourne', the photographer said. Pro-Palestine protesters have been calling for a boycott of Miznon after it emerged that one of its part-owners, Israeli entrepreneur Shahar Segal, is also a spokesman for the controversial aid group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This week, the Associated Press reported that American contractors were using live ammunition and stun grenades to guard Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution sites while hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. Loading Nina Sanadze, a Jewish gallery owner and friend of Miznon's owners, went straight to the restaurant after receiving a call on Friday night. When she arrived, police had blocked the street and Miznon staff were sweeping away broken glass and remnants of tomatoes thrown at the windows. Inside, Sanadze said, staff were 'hugging, crying and shaking'. 'It was a very, very scary experience.' Sanadze said that when the group arrived, the restaurant's managers tried to 'step in and push the protesters out', directing customers to the back of the restaurant. 'It was hard for customers to do anything,' she said. 'I think the brawl broke out because people were actually trying to stand up and say, 'go away'.' After closing the doors, Miznon managers apologised to their shaken staff for the ordeal and carried on with their usual Friday tradition of Shabbat, lighting candles, singing Jewish songs and eating challah. 'We were not in the mood to eat, it was more of a thing of tradition and resilience to stand together,' Sanadze said. Sanadze emphasised that Miznon's workers were a mix of nationalities and that the restaurant 'has nothing to do with the [Israeli Defence Forces] or anyone over there'. A 28-year-old person from Footscray was arrested 'for hindering police and has been released on summons' over the restaurant incident, police said. Loading Dunstan said there was not enough evidence to arrest anyone else, but the identities of those involved had been recorded as investigations continued and police combed social media and CCTV footage. Incidents follow string of attacks The 'death to the IDF' chant was also heard in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall during last Sunday's regular anti-Israel protest, and shouted from the Glastonbury stage in the UK by rap duo Bob Vylan in its controversial performance. The attack follows the firebombing in December that gutted the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea. Counterterrorism police later revealed that the attack involved 'criminals for hire' and a known underworld getaway car, but have yet to rule terrorism in or out. Dunstan did not have further information on that investigation. In a separate incident last month, vandals targeted a historic synagogue in South Yarra. Attackers used red paint to scrawl 'free Palestine' and 'Iran is da bomb', set inside the outline of a nuclear mushroom cloud, on the heritage-listed synagogue.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Police reveal identity of man charged over East Melbourne Synagogue fire
A group of about 20 people, some masked and wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, entered the CBD Israeli restaurant, Miznon, at 8.15pm. They shouted offensive chants, scuffling with staff and knocking over tables, before police arrived and arrested one man. Footage from the Miznon incident shows diners screaming in fear inside the Hardware Lane restaurant, which is part-owned by an Israeli entrepreneur who has been promoting a controversial aid group in Gaza. A police source, who cannot be identified speaking about operational matters, said at least one of those who invaded the restaurant was part of a group known to counter-terrorism police for sometimes organising left-wing protests that turned violent. Victoria Police declined to comment on the identity of the person or the nature of the groups involved . A police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing into the incident at Miznon. Police are also investigating a third incident, where three cars were set on fire and the wall of a business in Melbourne's north-east was spray-painted with graffiti against the Israeli military about 4.30am on Saturday. The vandalised business, Lovitt Technologies Australia, on Para Road in Greensborough, is a weapons company with links to Israel and had previously been targeted by protesters opposing the Israeli military. The business was contacted for comment. Police condemn string of incidents No one was injured in any of the incidents and none were deemed terrorism, but Victoria Police Commander Zorka Dunstan said on Saturday that officers would investigate the motives of those involved. 'The investigation is under the security investigation unit, who is part of our counterterrorism command. The security investigation unit investigates matters of communal violence,' Dunstan said. 'We do recognise that these crimes are disgusting and abhorrent, but at this stage, we are not declaring this a terrorist incident. In the course of our investigation, we will examine the intent and the ideology of the persons involved or person to determine if this is, in fact, terrorism.' Dunstan alleged that the three incidents all had 'inferences of antisemitism' or anti-Israel protest activity, but investigators had yet to find a connection between them. 'We are taking all three incidents incredibly seriously. There's no place in Australia for hatred or discrimination of any kind, and we condemn it.' In addition to the significant police presence in the CBD for Sunday's pro-Palestine protests, officers are providing proactive patrols in the areas around the attacks. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan both condemned the attacks on Saturday. Loading 'Antisemitism has no place in Australia,' Albanese said. 'Those responsible for these shocking acts must face the full force of the law, and my government will provide all necessary support toward this effort.' Allan said: 'This is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards. That this happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent.' Restaurant targeted after calls for boycott About the same time the synagogue was set alight on Friday night, police said a splinter group of about 20 people broke off from a larger anti-police protest in Melbourne's CBD and walked to the Israeli restaurant on Hardware Lane, where they shouted offensive chants. An independent photographer at the scene said the group asked patrons why they were giving money to the restaurant. The group chanted 'death to the IDF' and 'Miznon out of Melbourne', the photographer said. Pro-Palestine protesters have been calling for a boycott of Miznon after it emerged that one of its part-owners, Israeli entrepreneur Shahar Segal, is also a spokesman for the controversial aid group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This week, the Associated Press reported that American contractors were using live ammunition and stun grenades to guard Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution sites while hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. Loading Nina Sanadze, a Jewish gallery owner and friend of Miznon's owners, went straight to the restaurant after receiving a call on Friday night. When she arrived, police had blocked the street and Miznon staff were sweeping away broken glass and remnants of tomatoes thrown at the windows. Inside, Sanadze said, staff were 'hugging, crying and shaking'. 'It was a very, very scary experience.' Sanadze said that when the group arrived, the restaurant's managers tried to 'step in and push the protesters out', directing customers to the back of the restaurant. 'It was hard for customers to do anything,' she said. 'I think the brawl broke out because people were actually trying to stand up and say, 'go away'.' After closing the doors, Miznon managers apologised to their shaken staff for the ordeal and carried on with their usual Friday tradition of Shabbat, lighting candles, singing Jewish songs and eating challah. 'We were not in the mood to eat, it was more of a thing of tradition and resilience to stand together,' Sanadze said. Sanadze emphasised that Miznon's workers were a mix of nationalities and that the restaurant 'has nothing to do with the [Israeli Defence Forces] or anyone over there'. A 28-year-old person from Footscray was arrested 'for hindering police and has been released on summons' over the restaurant incident, police said. Loading Dunstan said there was not enough evidence to arrest anyone else, but the identities of those involved had been recorded as investigations continued and police combed social media and CCTV footage. Incidents follow string of attacks The 'death to the IDF' chant was also heard in Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall during last Sunday's regular anti-Israel protest, and shouted from the Glastonbury stage in the UK by rap duo Bob Vylan in its controversial performance. The attack follows the firebombing in December that gutted the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea. Counterterrorism police later revealed that the attack involved 'criminals for hire' and a known underworld getaway car, but have yet to rule terrorism in or out. Dunstan did not have further information on that investigation. In a separate incident last month, vandals targeted a historic synagogue in South Yarra. Attackers used red paint to scrawl 'free Palestine' and 'Iran is da bomb', set inside the outline of a nuclear mushroom cloud, on the heritage-listed synagogue.
