Police told not to confront protesters before restaurant rampage

Victoria’s new chief commissioner has ordered a review into police handling of a violent attack on an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne after it emerged that officers were earlier given orders not to interact with a rowdy demonstration in the CBD.

Premier Jacinta Allan said it was reasonable for people to ask why there were not more arrests after a group that splintered from the demonstration rampaged through Miznon restaurant in the CBD on Friday night.

She said it was also fair to ask why slogans such as “Death to the IDF” were tolerated at pro-Palestinian rallies.

“That is a fair question,” she said after visiting the East Melbourne Synagogue, which was firebombed on the same night as the restaurant attack.

“The police minister and I were briefed this morning by the chief commissioner, and he is examining the operational response.”

Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, who was sworn into the job last week, will join a new anti-hate taskforce established by Allan in response to the weekend’s attacks at Miznon, the synagogue and a defence contractor in Greensborough, where a car was torched and others damaged.

Premier Jacinta Allan visits East Melbourne Synagogue on Monday with Police Minister Anthony Carbines (left) and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll.Credit: Eamon Gallagher

The taskforce includes Allan, Police Minister Anthony Carbines and Lord Mayor Nick Reece and will hold its first meeting on Tuesday.

A well-placed government source not authorised to publicly discuss the work of the taskforce said a permit system for protests would probably be an early item for consideration.

Police responded swiftly to the firebombing of the historic East Melbourne Synagogue in Albert Street, which is also known as the City Shul.

Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old with a last known address in Sydney, was arrested and charged within two days of the attack, which caused only superficial damage to the front door of the synagogue.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, and federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley are expected to visit the synagogue this week.

At Miznon, police were caught unprepared for the violence after officers were given instructions not to engage with the earlier anti-police demonstration at the State Library Victoria, said a well-placed source not authorised to speak publicly.

About 20 people broke away from this gathering and stormed Miznon, in nearby Hardware Lane.

During the incident at Miznon, which unfolded when Hardware Lane was packed with Friday night diners, a window was broken, food was thrown and tables were overturned while protesters shouted slogans including “Death to the IDF”.

Scenes at Israeli restaurant Miznon on Friday night.Credit: AAP

The same chant was heard at Sunday’s pro-Palestinian rally, where the attacks on the restaurant and synagogue were condemned by organisers.

One person was arrested at Miznon for allegedly hindering police. Officers ordered others to move on.

This masthead has confirmed, through the well-placed source, that dozens of officers were assigned to the anti-police demonstration, which was promoted online by various hard-left and pro-Palestinian activist groups.

At a Friday afternoon tactical briefing, a decision was taken for police not to have a physical presence at the protest, to avoid inflaming the group.

Police at Miznon after a group stormed the restaurant.Credit: Alex Zucco

Instead, officers are understood to have waited on buses parked in surrounding streets when the demonstration began shortly after 5.30pm.

This meant police were unaware when, sometime before 8.15pm, some of the protesters began walking towards Miznon.

The restaurant had in previous days been identified on social media as a target by activists because one of its owners is involved in a controversial Israeli and US-linked charity, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

The foundation has faced criticism for its role in Gaza food distribution sites where hundreds of Palestinians have been killed.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that resources were allocated to the anti-police protest, but did not say how they were deployed.

“Victoria Police was aware of a planned protest in Melbourne on Friday, July 4. Victoria Police had specific resources available to respond when needed, as was the case in the incident that took place at a restaurant on Hardware Lane,” a spokesperson said.

A source with knowledge of the police investigation said most of the protesters questioned by police at the restaurant were known to police due to their frequent attendance at the regular Sunday rallies.

Police have also released CCTV footage of five people they would like to speak to in relation to the Greensborough vandalism.

Allan described the decision to protest on Sunday, less than two days after the synagogue attack, as “particularly odious, hateful behaviour” and said she was open to taking further action to stop public demonstrations of hate speech.

New anti-vilification laws, which carry jail terms for serious offences, were passed by parliament after December’s arson attack that destroyed the Adass Israel synagogue in the Melbourne suburb of Ripponlea, but they are yet to come into force.

Legislation is still being drafted to prohibit face masks at protests and flags and symbols associated with terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

The anti-hate taskforce follows the announcement of Project Leah, a working group of Jewish community and local government leaders, and a review of Victoria’s multicultural commission and polices.

“If there is more to do we will take that action,” Allan said.

”I would say to anyone who wants to bring hate to our streets, we have toughened the law, we will continue to toughen the law.”

Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said the government had acted too slowly in response to previous attacks and surging antisemitism.

“No more talk-fests, mo more taskforces,” he said. “It’s time to act. It’s time for real action.”

In October 2023, within days of the Hamas-led atrocities in southern Israel that began the war in Gaza, Victoria Police launched Operation Park in response to a surge in attacks on Melbourne’s Jewish communities.

Since then, police have received 324 reports relating to antisemitism and made 143 arrests. They have conducted over 9700 patrols, predominantly in the Glen Eira, Bayside, Stonnington and Port Phillip municipalities, where most Jewish people live in Melbourne.

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