In a recent court ruling, an Australian magistrate determined that a man who set fire to a Melbourne synagogue was driven by mental illness rather than antisemitic motives. Angelo Loras, 35, pleaded guilty to arson and recklessly endangering lives after he ignited the front door of the East Melbourne Synagogue on July 4. Approximately 20 worshippers were inside sharing a Shabbat meal at the time, but no injuries were reported. Magistrate Malcolm Thomas stated that Loras, who suffers from schizophrenia, acted under the influence of a delusion exacerbated by his failure to take prescribed medication. This ruling comes amid a surge in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents across Australia since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023. Initially, government leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, suspected the attack was a hate crime. However, the court concluded that Loras’s actions were not motivated by prejudice. Loras was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, which was less than the time he had already spent in custody. He was also ordered to continue medical treatment for schizophrenia for 20 months and perform unpaid community service. The magistrate advised the synagogue against seeking restitution for the $35,000 in damages, citing Loras’s prolonged homelessness and lack of prior criminal record. This incident was one of three suspected antisemitic acts in Melbourne during the same weekend, including harassment at an Israeli-owned restaurant and vandalism at a local business.
Australian judge rules synagogue arsonist was motivated by mental illness, not antisemitism
