A man has been arrested in connection with an alleged arson attack on a vehicle adorned with Hanukkah decorations in Melbourne, an incident that has further alarmed Australia's Jewish community in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Sydney earlier this month.
Christmas Morning Attack in St Kilda East
Emergency services were called to a property in St Kilda East, in Melbourne's south-east, on Christmas Day after reports a car was on fire in a driveway. The vehicle, which featured a roof sign reading "Happy Chanukah," had been firebombed.
While no one was inside the car at the time, the occupants of the house—a woman and three children—were evacuated as a precaution. Victoria Police confirmed that a 47-year-old man from Richmond was arrested on Tuesday morning and remains in custody for questioning. No charges have yet been laid.
Community on Edge After Bondi Tragedy
The alleged attack occurred less than two weeks after the alleged terror incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, which targeted Jews celebrating Hanukah and claimed 15 lives. This recent event has profoundly impacted the sense of security within the Jewish community.
Naomi Levin, chief executive of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, stated that "the Australian Jewish community remains on edge." She described the fear as a continuation of daily anxieties felt over the past two years, significantly intensified since the Bondi attack.
Political Condemnation and Community Response
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan issued a statement confirming she had been briefed by police on what "the community rightly fear is an antisemitic incident." She strongly condemned the act, stating, "This is not what any family, street or community deserves to wake up to on Christmas Day in Australia."
Premier Allan also noted the vehicle's role in spreading festive cheer, mentioning she had seen a similar car in the Caulfield area just days before the attack. The incident is being treated with extreme seriousness by authorities as investigations continue.
