Mayor decries arson attack on Melbourne synagogue

Two alleged attacks on Melbourne's Jewish community have unfolded overnight, with one targeting a synagogue.

An unknown man entered the grounds of the synagogue on Albert Street in East Melbourne at 8pm yesterday.

He poured flammable liquid on the front door of the religious building and set it alight before fleeing, Victoria Police said.

READ MORE: Homicide investigation after Perth man stabbed in front of loved ones

There were 20 people inside the synagogue at the time, however, everyone was able to evacuate from the back.

Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze, which was contained to the front entrance.

Melbourne's Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece called the arson attack "shocking."

"These are absolutely shocking, unspeakable acts of cowards," Reece told Today.

"I cannot condemn this sort of behaviour in stronger terms... this is a city of peace and tolerance, and we will not stand for this.

"This goes against everything that we stand for."

The Lord Mayor also said the group were sharing a meal inside the religious building for Shabbat, the day of rest, when a young boy inside the synagogue alerted everyone to the fire. 

Reece said police are gathering CCTV footage of the area and he is "confident" that they will catch the offender.

"I hope that we throw the absolute book at them... this is racism, this is anti-Semitic racism," he said.

"To target a Jewish place of faith on the Sabbath, there's people inside having a meal, to try to burn it to the ground...is there a more despicable act that you can think of in a busy city?" 

Investigators are working to find a motive for the attack.

In a separate incident, a group of 20 protestors allegedly stormed and trashed an Israeli restaurant on Hardware Street in Melbourne's CBD.

Witnesses say the group was chanting "death to the IDF" before they arrived at the restaurant called Miznon.

Diners were fearful as the group threw food and chairs at windows and knocked over tables. 

It's understood the incident took place about the same time as the fire.

Police have not linked the two.