New South Wales Premier Chris Minns will review the laws around protests permitted outside religious institutions and places of worship in the state, after the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on 6 December.
“I am horrified by the attack at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, and the recent sight of protests out the front of a religious institution,” Minns said in an 8 December statement.
“Being heckled on the way in to observe your faith is not consistent with the principles of a multi-cultural, multi-faith community where all are protected by law from someone stopping them from prayer.
“Holding the line isn’t enough. We have to go further and ensure that people’s rights to religious freedom of expression and worship is protected.”
Adding that religious freedom is the “bedrock” of the state’s multicultural society NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said people “have the right to feel safe in their own city, in their own churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship.”
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne issued a statement the day of the attack condemning it as “appalling.”
“A peaceful place of worship has been violated—nothing can justify such violence,” it read.
“Antisemitism has no place in our society. We stand in prayerful solidarity with members of the Jewish community at this time.”
Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli personally reiterated his prayerful support in a video message posted online from Rome where he travelled to attend the Papal consistory to create 21 new cardinals including Ukrainian Cardinal-elect Mykola Bychok.
“This is truly an evil act. A wicked, wicked act by those who have perpetuated it,” he said.
The attack had not been officially declared an act of terrorism as The Catholic Weekly went to print on Monday but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton each expressed a view it qualified as terrorism.