A man set the door of a synagogue alight and a group of protesters stormed an Israeli restaurant in Melbourne on Friday night, the latest in a wave of antisemitic attacks in Australian cities.

In a statement, the prime minister said: "Last night's arson attack on the synagogue in east Melbourne is cowardly, is an act of violence and antise

Australia’s Victoria state will set up a anti-hate task force to help frame laws giving police more powers to tackle violent protests, as it probes a suspected arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue when worshippers were inside, it says.