ALBAWABA - Australian authorities are looking into a suspected arson after a car, displaying a sign for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, was set ablaze in Melbourne. The incident has raised alarms about antisemitic violence.
Victoria Police reported that the fire started early Thursday morning in St Kilda East. Local broadcaster ABC aired images of the car parked outside a home, with a "Happy Hanukkah" sign on its roof before it was set on fire. Residents of the nearby house were evacuated as a safety measure, but no one was hurt.
Police characterized the event as a "suspicious fire," and investigators are currently looking for a person of interest who could provide valuable information. No arrests have been made, and the reason for the attack remains undetermined.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increased tensions in Australia. A recent shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, which resulted in fatalities, led the government to strengthen laws and penalties concerning hate crimes. Officials state that these actions are intended to address the growing number of religiously motivated attacks.
Jewish community leaders in Melbourne voiced their concerns, noting that the vehicle's destruction seems to be part of a troubling trend of antisemitic acts. Rabbi Effie Block, from the Chabad synagogue in St Kilda, stated that the attack was profoundly disturbing for those living nearby, despite no physical injuries. He cautioned that these repeated events are undermining the feeling of security for Jewish families in the community.
Authorities are continuing their investigations, and community representatives are demanding more robust protections and a decisive response to what they see as a growing atmosphere of hatred.
