Melbourne synagogue spray-painted in a series of attacks by man in Scream mask | Victoria

A synagogue has been spray-painted in a series of attacks by a man in a Scream mask, Victorian police say.

The Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue, at South Yarra in Melbourne’s inner south-east, has been the target of graffiti five times from 11 March to 30 July.

On each occasion, police say an unknown man arrived alone on a black e-scooter and tagged “offensive phrases”.

Security camera footage was released on Monday in a bid to track down the suspect, who is described as white, of medium build and bald.

He is alleged to have usually wore a long black jacket and black and white face covering, but police say he also donned a Ghostface mask from the movie Scream in his two most recent forays on 22 and 30 July.

“There is absolutely no place at all in our society for hate-based behaviour,” police said.

Melbourne synagogues have repeatedly become a target after Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the nation’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

Two buildings belonging to the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea, in Melbourne’s south-east, were gutted in an alleged firebombing in December 2024.

Giovanni Laulu, 21, was the first person directly charged over the alleged arson and fronted court on Thursday.

In a separate incident, an allegedly deliberately lit fire at the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on 4 July forced a group of about 20 people inside the building to flee.

It was roundly condemned, including by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old from New South Wales, had since been charged with reckless conduct endangering life, criminal damage by fire and possession of a controlled weapon.