“Our investigators across all three incidents are liaising with our counter-terrorism command to understand whether there are any links,” Dunstan said. “At this stage we are not aware of any links, but we are not discounting them.”
Police have not declared synagogue attack a terrorist incident
“There’s no place in Australia for hatred or discrimination of any kind, and we condemn it,” Dunstan said.
The damage to the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation. Source: AAP / James Ross
Dunstan said attack on the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, one of Australia’s oldest synagogues, was “clearly a targeted fire” but they had not declared it a terror incident.
The fire was started at about 8pm on Friday when about 20 people were inside the place of worship for a Shabbat dinner. It was contained to the front entrance, and those there evacuated without injury.
‘Offensive chants’ during protest at Israeli-owned restaurant
She did not say whether the Miznon protesters were pro-Palestinian activists. But several pro-Palestinian groups shared a statement on social media saying Segal’s link to the GHF was the reason the restaurant had been chosen as a protest site.
The Israeli-owned Miznon restaurant on Hardware Lane in Melbourne’s CBD. Source: AAP / James Ross
Police said the group had shouted “offensive chants” and were directed to leave the area.
