Albanese, in a yarmulke, is all but swallowed in an election-like scrum

It resembled nothing so much as a frenzied scrimmage in an election campaign – in black and white, minus an actual election.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spent much of his visit to the burnt-out Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne’s Ripponlea all but lost in a crush of camera crews, photographers, journalists and members of the Jewish community.

Long black coats and the long white shirts of the ultra-Orthodox swirled, distinctive black hats bobbed above the crowd, numerous voices competed for attention and a hot sun poured on the throng.

Towards the end of what was a trial for many of the participants, the prime minister, having disappeared into the synagogue to inspect the damage, emerged in a crowded back lane, a yarmulke on his head and his close protection officers trying to clear a path.

The swarm clogging the lane surged into reverse.

A woman who had threaded her way into the crowd to try to get a look at the prime minister was all but swept off her feet and hastily retreated. Camera crews and journalists hardened to the sort of dogfights that are regular occurrences on the election trail managed to keep their balance.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits the Adass Israel synagogue on Tuesday.Credit: Justin McManus

Paul Keating decades ago described with disdain the campaign trail as “going into shopping centres and tripping over camera cords”. Cameras don’t have cords anymore, but on days like this, you knew just what he meant.

Speculation that Albanese might be booed or worse came to little.

A man who did not appear to be part of the Adass Israel community called out “nice day for tennis” . It was a reference to a brouhaha about the prime minister playing tennis in Perth shortly after the arson attack – but nothing rose to the level that politicians can expect when crowds grow angry.

Albanese, under pressure for days from on-the-make Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has been keen to portray the prime minister and his government as slow to come to call out the attack on the synagogue as terrorism, chose his words with great care and economy.

“I’m very proud as prime minister, on behalf of the Australian people, to stand with Adass Israel, this community here today,” he declared.

“This arson attack is an act of terrorism. It was fuelled by antisemitism, and it was stoked by hatred. We’re a country that needs to come together and unite.

“One of the things that we spoke about inside [the synagogue] with the community leaders was the fact that people have come to Australia because we are a country that is peaceful. We are a country that respects people of different faiths, and we are enriched by our diversity here.

“And I want to thank the rabbi and all the community leaders for the very warm welcome that they have given me here today.”

And like all political leaders with an election not too far off, he promised money.

“I want to commit, on behalf of my government that I lead, into doing what we need to do to restore this synagogue, including providing whatever support is necessary financially to make sure that those who perpetrated this evil crime do not receive any benefit, and indeed get the message that Australia is not a country that will tolerate such an act, that will continue to unite as a country.”

And with that, the prime minister’s protection unit cleared a path to his car, leaving the scrum to sort itself out, for cameras to be borne safely away and for members of the community to mutter to each other their various personal critiques concerning Albanese’s visit.

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