A Jewish family was forced to abandon their home in the early hours of Christmas Day after a car adorned with a Hanukkah sign was deliberately set alight in their driveway in a suspected hate crime.
Christmas Morning Attack in St Kilda East
Emergency services were called to Balaclava Road in the suburb of St Kilda East at approximately 2.50am on Thursday, December 25th. Upon arrival, they discovered a vehicle, which had a billboard on its roof reading 'Happy Chanukah', fully engulfed in flames.
The car was unoccupied at the time of the attack. As a precautionary measure, residents from the property were evacuated while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. Victoria Police confirmed no injuries were reported from the incident.
Police Investigation and Community Outrage
The Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit has taken charge of the probe, which is being treated as suspicious. Detectives have identified a person who may assist with their inquiries and are appealing to the public for information.
Authorities have asked anyone with dashcam footage or CCTV from the Balaclava Road area around the time of the attack to come forward. The damaged vehicle has since been removed from the property.
The attack has provoked significant anger within Melbourne's Jewish community. The Australian Jewish Association issued a statement condemning the act, linking it to a wider crisis of antisemitism they say has been escalating in Australia.
Context of Rising Antisemitic Tensions
This disturbing event occurs amid heightened national anxiety over antisemitic violence. It follows closely on from the terror attack at Bondi Beach's Hanukkah by the Sea event on December 14th, which resulted in 15 fatalities.
Community leaders have expressed deep concern over the targeting of Jewish symbols during the holiday period. The combination of the Hanukkah signage and the timing on Christmas morning has intensified fears of religiously motivated hatred.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to submit a confidential report online.
