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2024 Melbourne synagogue attack
On 6 December 2024, at approximately 4:10 am local time, an arson terrorist attack took place at the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne in Ripponlea, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.[2] The resulting fire injured one member of the synagogue and caused significant damage to the building. Investigation of the attack was assigned to the Australian Federal Police's counter-terrorism unit. On 9 December 2024, Victoria Police stated the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack.[3] The perpetrators of the attack reportedly used an accelerant and followed by spreading that throughout the interior of the building with a broom before lighting the accelerant fluid. And police commenced searching for the perpetrators of the attack.[2] BackgroundFollowing the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, antisemitic actions directed at synagogues occurred across Australia. In an incident occurring on 8 October 2023, in New South Wales, two individuals walked past a synagogue and shouted “Allahu Akbar”, before saying that they would “blow up the synagogue”.[4] On 11 October 2023, in Melbourne, a synagogue received a bomb threat.[5] On 23 November 2023, in Western Australia, an individual threw two glasses of red paint at a synagogue.[4] In December 2023, hoax bomb threats were made to several synagogues across Australia.[4] On 25 November 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters targeted a Melbourne synagogue where a panel discussion was organised by the Australian Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC). An altercation between protesters and counter-protesters led to the police restraining man wearing a keffiyeh.[6] On 26 November 2024, a Chabad synagogue in St Kilda, Melbourne was vandalised with pro-Palestinian and antisemitic graffiti.[7] The targeted synagogue in the December 2024 attack was the Orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne, located in Ripponlea, Victoria. It was built in 1965, designed by Ernest Fooks,[8] and opened on 19 September 1965.[9] It is part of the Adass Israel Congregation, a Jewish group in Melbourne that traces its origins to a split in the Elwood Talmud Torah Hebrew Congregation in 1939/1940. Some of its early members were boys and men who had been sent to Australia by the British on the infamous Dunera in 1941.[9][10] The Synagogue was previously severely damaged in an arson attack on 1 January 1995.[9] According to Philip Zajac, President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, the Adass Israel congregation is apolitical with regards to the State of Israel.[11] The terrorist attack took place in a period where the Australian Government's National Terrorism Threat Level was at probable after being raised in August 2024, indicating that there is a greater than 50% chance of a terrorist attack or attack planning taking place in Australia's near future.[12][13] The threat level had previously been at probable level since shortly after November 2015's Paris terror attacks until 2022 when it was lowered to possible.[13] AttackIn the early hours of 6 December 2024, two masked men entered the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne in Ripponlea.[2] The men began pouring an accelerant on the floor and spreading it throughout the interior of the building with a broom when they were disturbed by a congregant who was attending the synagogue.[14][15] The two perpetrators set the accelerant alight just before 4:10 am and fled the scene. The fire spread quickly causing extensive damage to the inside of the synagogue and collapsing part of the roof.[14] One member of the synagogue sustained minor injuries to his hands in the fire.[16][17] Dozens of emergency service crews, including 65 firefighters, were called to Synagogue shortly after the blaze first started. Firefighters spent more than an hour containing the blaze.[17][18] A crime scene was established after the fire had been put out and members of the synagogue where allowed to enter in the afternoon of 6 December 2024 to retrieve the Torah scrolls, holy books, tallits, tefillin, other artefacts and some personal items.[14] AftermathOn 9 December, in the wake of the synagogue attack, the AFP established Taskforce Avalite to investigate antisemitism in Australia.[19][20] The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) also announced it would be assisting the taskforce in its investigation.[19] Following the incident, police in Canberra increased patrols around synagogues in the nation's capital.[21] The Sydney Jewish community organised a demonstration on 15 December 2024, at Martin Place, protesting the Australian government's inadequate response to antisemitism.[22][23][24] On 17 December 2024, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced new measures impacting public protests as part of an effort to prevent antisemitic behaviour.[25][26] The proposed laws, would establish safe access in close proximity to places of worship and prohibit disturbances of religious gatherings.[27] Misinformation and conspiracy theoriesFollowing the attack, several pro-Palestinian sources made unsupported claims that the attack may have been a "false flag" perpetrated by Israel or its supporters, including Islamic cleric Wissam Haddad and Antoun Issa, a former Guardian Australia journalist and chief of staff to Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi.[28][29] ReactionsAustraliaAustralian Federal GovernmentPrime Minister Anthony Albanese said on a radio interview on 6 December that he was "outraged" at the attack. He revealed that he had been briefed that same day by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) commissioner, and that the attack was deliberate and CCTV footage had shown the two assailants spread an accelerant throughout the building with a broom before setting it alight.[30] Albanese also spoke to the government's special envoy for antisemitism, Jillian Segal, on 6 December.[31] On 8 December, Albanese stated the incident was "quite clearly" an act of terrorism, and announced A$32.5 million in federal funding for security upgrades to Jewish schools and community centres.[32][33] Other governmental bodies to condemn the incident included the Australian Human Rights Commission, which stated: "Antisemitism is abhorrent. It is a form of racism which has no place in Australia. This attack is the latest incident in a trend of significant rises in antisemitism."[34] In response to the government's condemnation of the attack and the establishment of the dedicated police taskforce, Jillian Segal, Australia's Special Envoy on Antisemitism, pointed to the lack in serious penalties applied to individuals arrested in related events, such as those flying prohibited flags, and that it has set a tone of permissiveness in Australian society.[35] Victorian GovernmentPremier of Victoria Jacinta Allan condemned the attack as an "evil antisemitic attack".[36] On 6 December, at a press conference in front of the synagogue, Allan pledged A$100,000 from the state government to fund the rebuilding of the synagogue.[37] While at the site, the premier was heckled by local Jewish residents.[38] Allan returned unannounced to the site several days later where she was shown the portion of the site destroyed by the firebombing.[39] Similarly, the incident was condemned by local elected officials.[40][41] Liberal Party of AustraliaFederal Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, said the attack was abhorrent, and that it was to be expected due to what he sees as a lack of compassion for the Jewish people from the Albanese government.[42] Dutton also stated that the funding announced by the federal government on 8 December should be allowed to be used to fund armed guards for Jewish schools and community centres.[33] Australian Jewish community groupsThe Executive Council of Australian Jewry called for the Australian government to address the incident with action and not merely words, stating "“We ask you, Prime Minister, to reflect on how this has been allowed to occur. We ask you to reflect on how the conditions in which a synagogue can be set alight have been allowed to develop. Your words swiftly condemning the attack were heard by our community. However, the time for mere words has long passed. We now call for action."[43] The Jewish Community Council of Victoria condemned the attack; JCCV CEO Naomi Levin stated: “We were absolutely shocked, but not surprised, to hear that a synagogue here in Melbourne had been attacked overnight. The Jewish community has been warning about an unacceptable rise in antisemitism for more than a year. We hoped it would never come to this, but today, our fears have been realised.”[44] The Jewish Council of Australia issued a statement condemning the attack, stating, "This reprehensible act of violence is an attack not only on the synagogue but on Jewish communities more broadly."[45] The Jewish Council also condemned efforts by a senior staffer from the Australian Greens to label the attack as a false flag, as the claim would only deepen antisemitic sentiment.[46] The Australian Jewish Association released a statement in which they felt 'outraged' but not surprised due to their view that Australian Jews had been abandoned by the Albanese government.[2] Religious leadersThe attack was condemned by the Victorian Multicultural Commission's multifaith advisory group, stating: "Places of worship hold profound meaning for people of faith. The right to feel safe and free to worship in these sacred spaces is fundamental and must be respected and protected. We stand together to promote understanding, respect and harmony among all faith communities and people of goodwill. We assure them of our loving prayers and meditation."[47] Separately, the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne condemned the attack, stating that "A peaceful place of worship has been violated—nothing can justify such violence. Antisemitism has no place in our society. We stand in prayerful solidarity with members of the Jewish community at this time."[48][49] And the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) condemned the attack, stating: “Such acts of hatred and violence must be met with a swift and firm response from law enforcement. We urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”[50] Nationally, the attack was condemned by the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), stating: "It is for all of us to step up as peacemakers and commit to upholding the safety and harmony of our multi-cultural and multi-faith society in Australia."[51] And the event was described in a statement by Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, who condemned an antisemitic attack in Sydney, stating: "The latest attack on the Jewish community in Sydney is egregious, cowardly and despicable. All people of good will, faith or none, will condemn this outrage. It follows the terrorist attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, and more than a year of increasing hostility and intimidation of the Australian Jewish community in multiple, grotesque ways."[52] OthersOn 7 December, former Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg and former Labor senator Nova Peris called at a press conference for the federal government to declare the event a terrorist attack.[53] Frydenberg said that Jewish Australians were now talking openly about leaving the country and that young Jews are forced to conceal their faith and ethnicity for fear of attack. Peris called the attack 'totally deplorable'.[53] Other civic and religious groups to condemn the attack included a group of eighteen Turkish-Australian religious and secular organisations from New South Wales,[54] and the Human Rights Law Centre.[55] An Islamic preacher in Sydney, who previously came under public scrutiny for antisemitic remarks, issued to his congregation, delivered a statement that blamed the attack on a Jewish conspiracy.[56] The preacher's statement was criticised by the New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns.[57] A statement with similar conspiratorial language was made by the chief of staff of Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator. The statement was subsequently retracted and an apology was issued.[46] IsraelPrime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the Albanese government following the incident, linking the event to Australia's position on the Middle East.[58] President Isaac Herzog said that he has spoken with Albanese about the attack, and had told Albanese that the recent antisemitic attacks required 'strong and firm action'.[58] United States of AmericaOn 10 December 2024, the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a travel warning for Jews visiting Australia, advising them to exercise "extreme caution" and that they were "not convinced that Jews are safe [in Australia]".[59] United KingdomSix members of the UK Parliament sponsored a motion for the parliament to condemn the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue and to acknowledge that trends of antisemitism have also unfolded in the UK. The motion calls on the UK government to address antisemitism both at home and abroad and to provide funding to secure synagogues and Jewish schools.[60] See also
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