Man arrested over firebombing of prominent Melbourne rabbi’s car on Christmas Day
A man has been arrested over the firebombing of a prominent Melbourne rabbi’s car on Christmas Day.
The car displaying a “Happy Chanukah!” sign and an image of a Jewish menorah candle was set alight in the driveway of the home in St Kilda East.
The rabbi’s wife and three children who were asleep inside at the time had to be evacuated from the home. No one was injured in the incident.
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Police said at the time they were aware of the impact the attack would have on the Jewish community, coming just 10 days after the Bondi massacre in Sydney that killed 15 innocent people.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan took to social media to express her disgust at the incident.
“This is not what any family, street or community deserves to wake up to on Christmas Day in Australia,” she said on X.
“We have a duty to this community: to ensure their families are safe and feel safe right now, and to work long-term in a serious effort to drive anti-Semitism and hate out of our State.”
St Kilda in Melbourne’s bayside is an area with a Jewish community presence and synagogues. The firebombing of the rabbi’s car took place less than 2km from where the Adass Israel Synagogue was firebombed a year ago.
A 47-year-old man was arrested on Richmond’s Victoria Street on Tuesday morning.
He remains in custody and will be interviewed by investigators.
