Elsternwick restaurant Ren Dao Vegetarian attacked by anti-Semitic thugs within 48 hours

A restaurant opposite the Melbourne Holocaust Museum has been hit with anti-Semitic graffiti just 48 hours after the CBD was plagued by violence, with Premier Jacinta Allan yet to make a public appearance.

An East Melbourne synagogue and a CBD restaurant were the targets of separate anti-Semitic attacks across Melbourne on Friday night. Picture: Seven News.

Another Melbourne restaurant has been targeted by anti-Semitic thugs within 48 hours, with Premier Jacinta Allan yet to be publicly seen since the first attack on Friday night.

Elsternwick restaurant Ren Dao Vegetarian, located opposite the Melbourne Holocaust Museum, had its front window defaced with disturbing anti-Semitic graffiti symbols early Sunday morning.

A symbol of Ned Kelly holding two guns was plastered across the window, as well as on the wall opposite the museum.

The restaurant owners, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was not the first time the building had been damaged.

The attack comes as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the “severe hate crimes” plaguing the city.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke also visited the East Melbourne synagogue targeted in a suspected hate crime on Sunday morning.

The restaurant's window was defaced with chilling anti-Semitic graffiti. Picture: Facebook

Ren Dao Vegetarian was targeted by anti-Semitic thugs.

While the premier condemned the attacks on an Israeli CBD restaurant and East Melbourne synagogue on Friday night via a press statement, Ms Allan had not made a public appearance and was yet visit the synagogue.

Instead creative industries minister Colin Brooks said on Sunday morning the premier was planning to visit the East Melbourne site on Monday.

Mr Brooks told the Herald Sun the Premier had discussed an “appropriate” time to visit the Albert Street synagogue, which was set alight on Friday night, with its president Danny Segal.

“I understand the Premier had a conversation with the president of the Shule that was attacked and they have agreed that she will visit (on Monday),” Mr Brooks said.

“I respect both the views of the president of the Shule and the Premier that tomorrow is the appropriate time.”

Thugs plastered the window of the restaurant with a symbol of Ned Kelly holding two guns.

The graffiti was painted over later on Sunday morning.

Speaking at Dogs Bar in St Kilda on Sunday, Mr Brooks added the Victorian government would be introducing laws to better protect synagogues.

“The Premier has been very strong on this,” he said.

“We have seen the police respond very quickly and we are going to be introducing legislation to protect places of worship.

“There is a lot of work the Victorian government is doing to stamp this out.”

Opposition Leader Brad Battin said “weak leadership” was partly to blame for the attacks.

“The attacks we have seen on the East Melbourne Synagogue here in Melbourne are an absolute disgrace and is an ongoing outcome of what happens when you have weak leadership.”

“This government has failed for so long when it comes to standing up and standing with the Jewish community here in Victoria.”

“The fear is sky-rocketing, people are genuinely fearful of just walking down the street.”

“When we see continuous protests, protesting against the Jewish people, people can be saying they are out there protesting pro-palestine but so many are just anti-Jewish.”

“This is not the Victoria we should be proud of.”

Battin is calling for the return of move-on laws, to empower the police to stop protests before things get out of hand.

“We have said we will re-introduce the move-on-laws, why, because they worked.”

“We will ensure that we have the powers for the Victoria Police to stop violent protests happening in Melbourne and we will return Melbourne back to the place that many people are proud to come into.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited the East Melbourne synagogue on Sunday morning. Picture: Tony Gough

David Southwick, Shadow Minister for Police has said that the Jewish community feel “under siege”.

“Where is Jacinta Allan, where is the leadership in Victoria?”, he asked.

“This is a government that is all talk and no action”

“Everybody has a right to protest but nobody has the right to expel hate and incite violence like these extremists do.”

“This is a broken promise from the Allan Labour government. How much longer do we have to wait while the government sits away on a winter break, we should be bringing back the parliament.”

“Every single Victorian has a right to feel protected at the moment and I can tell you the Jewish community feel like the government has failed them.

“Premier Allan should be out today saying what she is going to do to ensure the Jewish community feel safe and every single Victorian feels safe. Where is the premier? Where is the leadership? This is a failure at a time when Victorian and the Jewish community need the leadership the most.”

“This is Melbourne, this is not the Middle East. There is a warzone in Melbourne. I can tell you the Jewish community feel like there is a warzone here in Melbourne as we speak.”

Premier Jacinta Allan has yet to visit the site or publicly comment on the issue — instead releasing a statement condemning the attacks.

Mr Brooks said Victoria Police would ensure the public was “safe” at events including Melbourne’s pro-Palestine rally on Sunday, in the wake of “hate-fuelled mob violence”.

“We’ve seen on Friday night horrific attacks on people peacefully dining, people coming together at a place of worship (and) in the workplace,” he said.

“Our government condemns that behaviour, which is not protest, it’s hate-fuelled mob violence and crime.

“I have no doubt that police command will be assessing a whole range of risks across different sectors, and as I said, the police and our government will make sure that people are safe.”

Police Minister Anthony Carbines on Saturday morning said police would dedicate every resource to catch the offenders and slammed the attack on the restaurant and attempted arson attack on the synagogue.

“Anti-Semitism has no place here in Victoria and we stand with the Jewish community against hate fear and violence that we have seen overnight,” he said.

“Intimidation and fear, we will not stand for it here in Victoria.”

Mr Carbines said he had spoken with the Federal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and the “full resources” of ASIO and the Australian Federal Police will be available to assist with the investigation into both the restaurant brawl and the arson at the Synagogue.

Victoria Police said counter-terrorism command was also involved in the investigation.

Police officers were seen patrolling the streets of Elsternwick after the fresh attack.

An effort to paint over the graffiti was made on Sunday morning.

The chief executive of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum did not comment on the matter, though said they were very concerned with what has been happening in Melbourne recently.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Originally published as Elsternwick restaurant Ren Dao Vegetarian attacked by anti-Semitic thugs within 48 hours