From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 7, 2025
Australia’s Victoria to start anti-hate task force after Melbourne synagogue arson attack
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Australia’s Victoria state will set up a anti-hate task force to help frame laws giving police more powers to tackle violent protests, as it probes a suspected arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue when worshippers were inside, it says.
There were no injuries to the 20 people inside the East Melbourne Synagogue, who fled from the fire on Friday night, the latest in a series of incidents targeting the Jewish community.
“Just as the fire came to the front door here of this [synagogue], it was stopped. So too must we put a stop to antisemitism,” Victoria state Premier Jacinta Allan tells reporters outside the synagogue.
“Not only does it have no place here in Melbourne and Victoria, it has no place anywhere.”
Allan says the task force, which will include the premier, state police minister, Mayor of Melbourne and police personnel, will have its first meeting this week. Jewish community representatives will be invited to attend the meeting.
The government is consulting experts while drafting a bill to ban face masks, display of terror symbols and devices used by protesters to attach themselves to objects that makes it difficult for police to remove them, Allan says.
Counterterrorism detectives late on Saturday arrested 34-year-old Sydney resident Angelo Loras, charging him with offenses including criminal damage by fire. Police said the man allegedly poured a flammable liquid on the front door and set it on fire before fleeing.
He was not named in connection with two other attacks against the Jewish community that took place around the same time.
The Times of Israel Community.