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Sydney man Angelo Loras faces court over East Melbourne Synagogue arson attack

Details of the charges of an alleged arsonist, accused of lighting the East Melbourne Synagogue on fire while 20 people were inside, have been revealed for the first time.

The East Melbourne Synagogue after the fire which was lit while 20 people were inside. Picture: Tony Gough
The East Melbourne Synagogue after the fire which was lit while 20 people were inside. Picture: Tony Gough

An alleged synagogue arsonist accused of lighting an inner-city Synagogue on fire while 20 people were inside has fronted court.

Angelo Loras, 34 from the Sydney suburb of Toongabbie, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, accused of lighting the East Melbourne Synagogue on fire on July 4 while 20 people were inside.

Mr Loras has been charged with of recklessly engage in conduct by setting fire to the front entrance of East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation that placed people in danger of death.

He has also been accused of damaging the front entrance of the synagogue by setting fire and committing arson, as well as possessing a control weapon.

Angelo Loras has faced court charged over an arson attack at an east Melbourne synagogue. Picture: Instagram.
Angelo Loras has faced court charged over an arson attack at an east Melbourne synagogue. Picture: Instagram.

On Tuesday, his lawyer asked the court to adjourn the matter to later this year, asking the court for a sentence indication if Mr Laros was to plead guilty.

Magistrate Malcolm Thomas accepted the adjournment and remanded Mr Loras in custody.

The Sydney man was arrested in the Melbourne CBD the following night, 24 hours after the front of the Albert St place of worship was set alight.

At the time, the Rabbi of the East Melbourne Synagogue Rabbi Dovid Gutnick condemned the arson attack and described the incident as a “wake up call”.

A group of 20 people were congregated in the 150-year old Synagogue like any other Shabbat, with families and leaders enjoying a meal until they were met with sudden danger.

At about 8pm the doors of the holy building were set alight.

A man walks past the burnt front entrance of the East Melbourne Synagogue in Melbourne on July 6, 2025. Picture: William WEST / AFP
A man walks past the burnt front entrance of the East Melbourne Synagogue in Melbourne on July 6, 2025. Picture: William WEST / AFP

Rabbi Gutnick said his first thought was: “Have all these concerns finally come to our front door?”

He sprang into action, grabbing the extinguisher and herding up his congregation, which included children.

There was chaos and worry according to the Rabbi and there are elements he is “struggling to process”.

“But then you kick into action”, he said.

The group then safely evacuated the building.

“Thank god we weren’t harmed”, Rabbi Gutnick said.

“At the heart of it we were spared.”

The 20 people inside who were taking part in Shabbat were uninjured.

It comes as Premier Jacinta Allan has sought to wipe her hands clean of any responsibility over chants of “Death to the IDF” claiming it’s Victoria Police’s job to decide whether the phrase is hate speech.

Ms Allan conceded on Tuesday that hateful behaviour on Victorian streets was “at a level that is unacceptable” but said her government had already handed police more powers as part of the state’s new anti-vilification laws, which will be rolled out from September.

The hate-speech laws expanded protections to LGBTQIA+ people, women and people with disabilities, reduced the legal threshold to prove vilification to “likely” to incite contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule against a minority group and extended maximum jail terms to five years.

However, a clause that would have allowed police to press charges without seeking approval from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) - considered one of the biggest roadblocks to prosecution - was removed last minute due to demands from the Greens.

When pressed over whether she believed “Death to the IDF” chants were hate speech and would be punishable under the new laws, however, Ms Allan refused to say.

“I’m not going to start dictating from in front of a microphone how Victorian Police enforce the strength and powers that the parliament has provided them,” she said.

“That’s the powers we’ve given Victoria Police to operationalise when they see hateful behaviour.

“Like any law that is passed (it) is about giving police the powers to enforce those laws.”

She said another suite of laws banning face coverings, terrorist symbols and glue and chains at protests, which were first flagged in December, would be introduced to parliament in the coming weeks.

Victoria Police said they were currently assessing whether the chants were an offence.

Originally published as Sydney man Angelo Loras faces court over East Melbourne Synagogue arson attack

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/victoria/sydney-man-angelo-loras-faces-court-over-east-melbourne-synagogue-arson-attack/news-story/b98b7f36676c3408770abaf615867a43