MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥 A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue in an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia鈥檚 second-most populous city.
Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates鈥 Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a 鈥渃ontrolled weapon鈥 on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was.
The Sydney resident did not enter a plea or apply to be released on bail. Magistrate John Lesser remanded Loras in custody to appear in court next on July 22.
Flammable liquid was ignited at the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, also known as the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, on Friday night as 20 worshippers shared a Shabbat meal inside.
The congregation escaped without harm via a rear door and firefighters contained the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building.
It was the first of three apparent displays of antisemitic violence across the city on Friday and early Saturday morning.
Authorities have yet to establish a link between incidents at the synagogue and two businesses.
Antisemitism blamed for attacks on businesses
Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant.
A restaurant window was cracked, tables were flipped and chairs thrown as protesters chanted 鈥淒eath to the IDF,鈥 referring to the Israel Defense Forces. A 28-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and charged with hindering police.
Police are also investigating the spray-painting of a business in Melbourne鈥檚 northern suburbs and an arson attack on three vehicles attached to the business before dawn on Saturday. The vehicles had also been graffitied.
Police said there were antisemitic 鈥渋nferences鈥 at the scene. The business had also been the target of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the past year.
Political leaders condemn antisemitism
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke met with Jewish leaders at the damaged synagogue on Sunday.
Burke told reporters that investigators were searching for potential links between the three incidents.
鈥淎t this stage, our authorities have not drawn links between them. But obviously there鈥檚 a link in antisemitism. There鈥檚 a link in bigotry. There鈥檚 a link in a willingness to either call for violence, to chant violence or to take out violent actions. They are very much linked in that way,鈥 Burke said.
鈥淭here were three attacks that night and none of them belonged in Australia. Arson attacks, the chanting calls for death, other attacks and graffiti 鈥 none of it belonged in Australia and they were attacks on Australia,鈥 Burke added.
called on the Australian government to 鈥渢ake all action to deal with the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and prevent similar attacks in the future.鈥
鈥淚 view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters,鈥 Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday.
鈥淭he reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of 鈥榙eath to the IDF鈥 and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted,鈥 he added.
