Police have identified a person of interest as they investigate the apparent firebombing of a vehicle with a Hanukkah decoration in Melbourne’s south-east early on Christmas Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Emergency services arrived in Balaclava Road, St Kilda East at about 2:50am to find the vehicle on fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The unoccupied car had a mobile billboard reading “Happy Chanukah!” mounted on its roof.<\/p>\n
Chanukah, also spelled Hanukkah, is the name for the eight-day Jewish festival of lights.<\/p>\n
No injuries have been reported, but the occupants of a nearby house were evacuated as a precaution.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The vehicle sustained significant damage in the incident overnight. (Facebook)<\/p>\n
Rabbi Effy Block, from the Chabad of St Kilda, said he had been in contact with the affected family, which included another rabbi.<\/p>\n
“They are OK, but the car is destroyed,” he said.<\/p>\n
About lunchtime, police confirmed they had identified “a person who may be able to assist with their investigation”.<\/p>\n
Detectives are trying to find that person.<\/p>\n
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Rabbi Effy Block is from the St Kilda Chabad. (ABC News: Matthew Holmes)<\/p>\n
In a post on X \u2014 formerly known as Twitter \u2014 Premier Jacinta Allan said the community was right to fear the incident was an act of antisemitism.<\/p>\n
“This is not what any family, street or community deserves to wake up to on Christmas Day in Australia,” she wrote.<\/p>\n
“This little car has been driving around town spreading the Hanukkah and holiday cheer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Police are investigating this incident and treating it very seriously.”<\/p>\n
The premier said police had increased their presence in the area this month and were working closely with community leaders to investigate the attack.<\/p>\n
Prime minister, Jewish leaders condemn incident<\/p>\n
While authorities are yet to confirm if the incident was religiously motivated, local Jewish leaders have condemned it, saying their safety is being jeopardised by rising antisemitism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
MP David Southwick, whose electorate encompasses St Kilda East, said he believed it was not a coincidence the alleged arson had occurred in the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community.<\/p>\n
“Carlisle Street is our Bondi, it\u2019s across the road from one of our Jewish day schools, it\u2019s literally 100 metres from the Bagel Belt of Melbourne,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The car that was targeted and the family that was targeted was a Jewish family with a Jewish symbol on the vehicle.”<\/p>\n
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David Southwick says the news of the incident had been triggering for the city’s Jewish community. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
Dvir Abramovich, from the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the apparent attack was another act of evil striking fear into the Jewish community.<\/p>\n
“It’s a miracle no-one was killed,” he said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“We should not confuse luck with safety.<\/p>\n
“Things are out of control in this city and this is the new normal for Jews in Australia and what happens when hatred is allowed to spread.”<\/p>\n
Asked about the incident at a charity Christmas event in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the prospect of another antisemitic attack in the weeks after the Bondi Beach terror attack was “beyond comprehension”.<\/p>\n
“What sort of evil ideology and thoughts at a time like this would motivate someone?” he asked.<\/p>\n
“We know that there is evil present. We saw that with this father and son terrorist atrocity at Bondi Beach.<\/p>\n
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Anthony Albanese reiterated a commitment to rooting out antisemitism following news of the incident. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
“We’ve seen it in other occurrences as well, but it is a timely reminder that overwhelmingly Australians show and are motivated by the sort of compassion, decency, kindness, generosity and togetherness that we see right here [at the event] in Ashfield this morning.”<\/p>\n