08-07-2025
Three charged over altercation at Israeli-owned restaurant Miznon in Melbourne CBD
Three people have been charged with assault, riotous behaviour and criminal damage after a group of protesters converged on an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne's CBD on Friday night.
The group was a part of a larger cohort which had gathered on Swanston Street to protest the need for police presence at public demonstrations.
Police said about 20 people left that group about 8:15pm and went to the Miznon restaurant in Hardware Lane where patrons were having dinner.
Police allege several people in the group were involved in an altercation, where chairs were thrown and a glass door was damaged.
Three people — a 50-year-old man from Richmond, a 48-year-old woman from Footscray and a 28-year-old woman from Essendon have been charged with assault, affray, riotous behaviour and criminal damage.
The incident occurred on the same night as a string of antisemitic incidents.
On Friday night the door of a synagogue in East Melbourne was set alight while 20 congregants were inside.
Angelo Loras, 34, has been charged over that incident.
A business in the north-eastern suburb of Greensborough also had three cars torched about 4:30am the next day.
Police said on Monday no links between any of the incidents had been identified.
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 spokesperson for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, 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.
A statement released by Miznon on Tuesday said the events on Friday had had a "profound impact" on staff.
"We are a restaurant, a place of hospitality, of warmth and welcome. Our greatest joy is to feed people from every background and viewpoint and to see the joy on people's faces as they enjoy our food and each other's company. That is our purpose and our objective," the statement read.
"All our staff and customers are coming from different background and cultures. We respect everyone's right to their own nationality and religion. We ask for the same.
"All we wish to do moving forward, is to keep feeding anyone who comes through our doors with love, attention and care while supplying a safe working space for our employees."
