PM denounces fire at Melbourne synagogue as illegal and deliberate

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has strongly denounced the deliberate act of setting fire to a synagogue in Melbourne early this morning. He made it clear that there is no place for antisemitism in Australia and such hateful actions will not be tolerated.

The fire erupted at the Adass Israel synagogue on Glen Eira Avenue in Ripponlea at around 4:10 am. It took a team of 60 firefighters about an hour to bring the blaze under control, but unfortunately, extensive damage had already been done to the place of worship.

In a statement, Albanese expressed his outrage towards the attack, stating that violence, intimidation, and destruction at a sacred place is unacceptable. He emphasized that this act was clearly aimed at instilling fear in the community and goes against the values and principles of the nation.

The Prime Minister has been briefed on the incident by the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and has assured full support to Victorian investigators in their ongoing investigation. Luckily, no one was harmed during the fire, but the synagogue has suffered significant damage.

The police have established a crime scene and are working tirelessly to gather evidence and information. They have urged anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any relevant footage to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.

A member of the synagogue's board, in an interview with 9News, expressed his shock and disbelief at the arson attack. He stated that the community is generally peaceful and does not cause any trouble, and it is heartbreaking to see such an event unfold.

The fire started just two hours before the daily early prayers were scheduled to take place, which usually attracts around 200 to 300 worshippers. Firefighters are still at the scene, monitoring for any hotspots, and a warning has been issued for smoke in nearby areas.

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