Suspicious car fire in Melbourne heightens concerns for Jewish community

A parked car was deliberately set on fire in St Kilda East, a neighborhood near Melbourne’s beach,. The vehicle had a sign on its roof reading “Happy Chanukah,” celebrating the Jewish holiday. No injuries were reported.

Australian police have classified the incident as a “suspicious fire” and confirmed that residents of the house where the car was parked were evacuated as a precaution, Le Figaro reports.

“Investigators have identified a person who may assist in their investigation and are actively searching for that individual,” police said in a statement. Footage broadcast by Australian network showed the car ablaze in the driveway.

The fire comes roughly ten days after a deadly antisemitic attack in Sydney. On December 14, a shooting at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah festival claimed 15 lives and left dozens injured. In response, Australian authorities have moved to tighten laws and strengthen sanctions against hate crimes.

Rabbi Effy Block of the local Chabad community in St Kilda described the car fire as “a continuing escalation,” highlighting concerns over safety. “Thank God, no one was hurt, but this is a continuing escalation, where we see these events happening over and over again,” he said. He added, “My Jewish community in St Kilda and Melbourne does not feel safe in their own homes or in their own country.”

By Vafa Guliyeva