Every Victorian deserves to live in peace and dignity, but the acts we saw last night at the East Melbourne Synagogue - and elsewhere in the city - are designed to shatter that peace and traumatise Jewish families.
Any attack on a place of worship is an act of hate, and any attack on a Jewish place of worship is an act of anti-Semitism.
There should be no hesitation in calling this what it is. It is disgraceful behaviour by a pack of cowards.
That it happened on Shabbat makes it all the more abhorrent.
To the congregation, including the women and children who were inside last night when the fire was lit: we are here to support your Shule and to help you recover.
To our Jewish community: I stand with you in the fight against hate and fear, and the Victorian people stand with you, too.
Victoria Police will do everything possible to identify those responsible for the fire.
I'm also aware that police made an arrest last night following a separate incident at a restaurant in the city.
Hate and violence don't belong in Victoria. That's why we back our police, that's why we're giving them more powers - and that's why I won't rest until every Victorian feels safe to be who they are.
