Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it was a “terrible morning” waking up to the news of a suspected firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue, as he confirms he has been briefed that a person of interest used an accelerant.
The prime minister told ABC Radio Melbourne that he had spoken to Ripponlea’s federal MP, Labor’s Josh Burns, who told him that the community “very much revolves around the synagogue”.
“Many Holocaust survivors came from Hungary in particular after World War Two, and it’s been a centre of peaceful organisation and community. And this attack is just an outrage,” Albanese said.
Police and members of the Jewish community outside the Adass Israel synagogue on Friday.Credit: Simon Schluter
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw briefed the PM on Friday morning, telling him there are two persons of interest.
“One was witnessed using accelerant and spreading it with a broom designed to maximise the damage that could occur,” Albanese said.
The PM said the nature of the attack makes it “clearly an act of antisemitism”.
“By definition, this is an act of hate, and it’s something that should not occur in Australia or anywhere else for that matter. People must be allowed to conduct their faith as they see fit, in a peaceful way.”
Albanese said he wasn’t worried about “getting ahead” of the investigation by labelling it antisemitism, saying that “an attack on a synagogue is an act of antisemitism by definition”.
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