Anthony Albanese visits firebombed Melbourne synagogue five days after attack

Chaotic scenes have erupted outside Melbourne’s firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue after Anthony Albanese visited the site, five days after it was destroyed in what authorities believe was a likely terrorist attack.

The Prime Minister promised to restore the Ripponlea synagogue while meeting its Orthodox Jewish congregation about 1pm on Tuesday, making his way through an intense scrum of people.

Mr Albanese had been criticised for not visiting the site sooner following the early morning Friday attack, with criticism increasing when he was instead photographed playing tennis while on a three-day visit in Perth.

While Mr Albanese and local Labor federal MP Josh Burns, who is Jewish himself, made short remarks pledging to restore the synagogue, they did not answer questions.

AFP officers were heard ordering the crowd to “get back” and “stand clear,” as Mr Albanese’s motorcade attempted to leave the site.

During brief remarks to the media, Mr Albanese pledged “ongoing support” to the community, and said he would make sure the people who “perpetrated this evil crime do not receive any benefit”.

“One of the things that we spoke about inside with the community leaders was the fact that people have come to Australia because we are a country that is peaceful,” he said.

“We are a country that respects people of different faiths and 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.”

Mr Burns praised the “bravery and stoicism” of the “proud Yiddish community”.

“They have shown the strength and the resilience to come together and support one another, and I want to thank them for their kindness and the warmth and the optimism that they have been brought today,” he said.

Amid chaotic scenes, Mr Albanese told community members Australia’s multiculturalism and social cohesion had to be nurtured and protected.

“It’s one of the wonderful things about this country, is you can live in Australia and experience different cultures, different faiths, beliefs and be enriched by which is why we have to cherish it, why we have to nurture it,” he said.

He also met with one of the two men who were inside the synagogue praying at the time of the blaze.

The two shared a brief conversation, in which Mr Albanese joked: “4.15am is very early. I get up early but that is very early”.