Burger shop fire arrests, police rule out hate crime
Two men have been arrested over a burger shop fire in Melbourne that sparked a violent clash between supporters of Palestine and Israel.
A supplied screen grab shows police arresting a man in the suburb of Carnegie, Melbourne, Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Two men have been arrested over a burger shop fire in Melbourne that sparked a violent clash between supporters of Palestine and Israel. (AAP Image/Supplied by Victoria Police)
The blaze was deliberately lit, and it was not a hate crime, Victoria Police said on Wednesday.
The Caulfield store of the Burgertory chain was destroyed by fire on November 10.
At the time, the owner claimed it was linked to his involvement in a pro-Palestine rally and alleged it was a hate crime.
Hours after he made the claim, two groups of about 200 people each clashed near a synagogue and the Burgertory store.
One man was pepper-sprayed by police and another reported receiving minor injuries after being hit by a rock.
On Wednesday, a 27-year-old man at a Carnegie apartment and a 25-year-old man in Dallas were arrested.
The younger man was taken to hospital under police guard for what officers said were injuries unrelated to the arrest.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police said the men were assisting with inquiries and arson-related charges were expected to be laid.
Victoria Police Inspector Scott Dwyer said the incident was not a hate crime.
“It wasn’t motivated by prejudice or politics,” he said in a statement.
“Not only did this blaze destroy a business, it also put innocent members of the public at risk of being injured.
“Victoria Police will continue to target anyone connected to criminality that recklessly puts others in harm’s way.”
The clash after the fire prompted an extra police presence in the area.
Philip Zajac
The president of The Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Philip Zajac, told J-Wire: “We thank Victoria Police for making these arrests and, repeating their earlier statement that this arson attack was not a hate crime.
The slander against the Victorian Jewish community after this arson attack was reprehensible. It led to one of the worst nights in our community’s history.
We will never forget the night aggressive protesters descended on Caulfield and led to a situation where Jewish people were injured on the streets of Caulfield and hundreds were left unable to safely attend synagogue, visit family for Shabbat dinner, or walk the streets of their own neighbourhood.
This situation was allowed to get completely out of hand and the JCCV commits to continuing our work with the Victorian Government to develop stronger laws against hate crimes and vilification.”
Zionism Victoria calling for apologies.
Zionism Victoria this afternoon urged all individuals and organisations that stated or insinuated that the arson attack on the Burgertory Restaurant in Caulfield last November was a hate crime perpetrated by members of the Jewish or pro-Israel community to immediately retract and apologise for “concocting and disseminating blood libels”.
Shortly after the Friday, 10th November blaze, police had stated they were confident the fire wasn’t religiously or politically motivated.
In a statement, Zionism Victoria remarked: “However, that assertion did not stop various parties claiming the attack was motivated by hostility to the store owner’s pro-Palestinian stance or see them retracting earlier claims to that effect.
Following the blaze, one organisation insisted “abuse and vilification” of staff at the store since 7th October “fuelled by a campaign of misinformation about Palestinians and supporters of Palestinian human rights, has culminated in the suspicious fire”.
The organisation went on to express “grave concern that this was an intentional act against ‘the owner’ as a Palestinian and Muslim.”
Yossi Goldfarb
The owner himself linked the fire to his anti-Israel stance, stating “Today’s arson attack will not waver my calling for peace and will not silence me.”
That evening, during the Jewish Sabbath, anti-Israel demonstrators marched from the burger store through the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community on the Jewish Sabbath, forcing a synagogue to be evacuated and leading to clashes on the street.
Welcoming today’s arrests, Zionism Victoria president Yossi Goldfarb said, “Those who helped spread this malicious slur – concocting and disseminating blood libels – are directly responsible for the violent scenes we saw outside the synagogue that night.
And their failure to retract their comments, despite police assurances to the contrary, have helped stoke the flames of antisemitism that have engulfed Victoria in the weeks and months since.”
Noting that the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre just across the road from the Burgertory store has twice been daubed with anti-Israel graffiti since the arson attack, Mr Goldfarb added, “As proud Victorians, it has been profoundly distressing to witness – and indeed experience firsthand – the deterioration of the multiculturalism we value so much.
Now is the time for all those who cast aspersions on the Jewish community to hold their hands up, admit they were wrong and apologise for their part in the hate, hostility and heinous antisemitism casting a shadow over our state.”
Member for Caulfield, David Southwick, told J-Wire: “Jews were blamed, targeted, and attacked for something they did not do.
Such blatant antisemitism is appalling.
To anyone that jumped to conclusions, the Jewish community deserve an apology.”
As enquiries continue, anyone with information that could assist Victoria Police with their investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
AAP/J-Wire
The owner of Burgertory, in particular, should be interviewed again by media in regard to this finding and these arrests, with the same degree of interest it showed when he was casting aspersions on pro-Israel supporters as having been involved in the arson and spoke of harassment in his store after Oct. 7. Will that happen? I don’t think so.