An illegal gathering to celebrate Jewish New Year has been branded ‘appalling’ by police chiefs after a news crews was attacked and lockdown laws ignored.
Up to 30 people are now believed to have attended the Rosh Hashanah celebration at a Ripponlea synagogue in Melbourne‘s south-east.
Police and media were involved in a stand-off with celebrants and supporters on Tuesday night as they gathered for the first night of the two day religious event.
Wild scenes outside the orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea saw some confront police and climb onto the roof of a nearby building.
Police speak to worshippers (pictured) at a Jewish New Year’s celebration at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Melbourne, on Tuesday
One news cameraman was allegedly assaulted and taken to hospital with concussion and six people have been been fined $5,452 for breaching public health orders.
But Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett has told other worshippers to come forward and turn themselves in.
‘I’m appalled,’ he said on Wednesday morning. ‘Come forward, identify yourself.’
Supporters stood outside the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne on Tuesday night as the Rosh Hashanah celebrations continued inside.
There was initially believed to be 100 people inside, but police downscaled the estimated number to around 30 on Wednesday.
The gathering was condemned by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria on Wednesday.
‘The actions of a few do not represent the vast majority of our community who have celebrated Rosh Hashanah at home only with the people with whom they live, and just like the wider community, continue to follow the rules,’
The tense standoff between Victorian police and worshippers (pictured) spilled into abuse and claims of anti-Semitism as police moved in to disperse the gathering. Police later issued a statement saying ‘all adults’ in attendance would receive a $5,452 fine
A gathering celebrating Jewish New Year in Melbourne ended with fiery scenes and police moving in to shut down the event and issuing $5,452 fines to ‘all adults’ who attended (men near the synagogue in Ripponlea, pictured)
A second, smaller illegal prayer group assembled for Jewish New Year was also dispersed by police from an apartment above the Ripponlea IGA supermarket, also on Glen Eira Avenue.
Police were understood to have been made aware of the illegal gatherings on Tuesday morning and reports indicated they waited for people to exit the celebrations during the day.
But tensions grew as worshippers and their supporters confronted police in the early evening.
Two worshippers climbed onto a nearby roof around 6pm as the confrontations ignited with some supporters heard abusing police and accusing media and health authorities of anti-Semitism.
Victorian police faced an increasingly defiant group of worshippers on Tuesday afternoon and evening before dispersing two gatherings on Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea. Worshippers are pictured in a lane behind the synagogue
A group of mask-wearing men pass police near one of the gatherings on Tuesday night (pictured)
The main illegal gathering occurred at Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea in inner Melbourne during a Jewish New Year celebration
Police moved in to end the standoff after 8pm on Tuesday.
Eyewitnesses said supporters chanted, pushed cameras and yelled insults at media who assembled as news of the standoff spread on Tuesday afternoon.
Jewish New Year celebrations, known as Rosh Hashanah, commenced on Monday, September 6 and last until the evening of Wednesday, September 8.
At present they are mostly observed privately.
Police come face to face with worshippers from Jewish New Year celebrations at the orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue in Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea on Tuesday night
Police shut down the illegal gathering on Tuesday night after waiting for the attendees to disperse during the day
Victorian police speak with worshippers outside an illegal gathering to celebrate Jewish New Year at Ripponlea on Tuesday night
It is understood people began gathering the Adass synagogue on Monday evening, setting up for a major event.
A witness claimed to have seen two groups of ’20-30′ people without masks entering the synagogue.
‘I just think this behaviour from anyone in society at this time is just appalling, it’s disgusting really because small businesses are already hurting, and this is just extending what’s already happening,’ passer-by Steve Davis told 9News.
Victoria Police broke up two Jewish New Year celebrations that took place on Tuesday in breach of Covid restrictions
A family is pictured near the synagogue in Ripponlea, which was the site of a standoff between worshippers and police
‘Victoria Police has spoken to a number of people who attended an address on Glen Eira Road, Elsternwick on Tuesday 7 September,’ a Victorian Police statement said.
‘All adults who attended will be issued with a $5452 fine. A number of children who were present will not be fined. Investigators believe a number of other people were present and are yet to be spoken to by police. Investigators are working to identify them.’
Earlier, police blocked roads around the synagogue where an estimated 100 worshippers celebrated Jewish New Year.
It is understood the worshippers refused to leave the two buildings on Tuesday despite Police attempts to make them get out.
Around 100 Jewish New Year worshippers held illegal gatherings (pictured) and refused to comply with police directions
Victoria’s Delta Covid outbreak worsened on Tuesday with 246 cases announced.
Under Melbourne’s latest lockdown, which began on August 5 and is still in place, no private or public gatherings are allowed.
One of the two premises holding Jewish New Year gatherings in breach of Melbourne’s lockdown on Tuesday is believed to be located above this Ripponlea IGA supermarket
Victorian Police confirmed in a statement to Daily Mail Australia that they were ‘currently in the Elsternwick and surrounding areas responding to reports of potential CHO breaches’.
‘As this is ongoing we don’t have any further information at this stage.’
Police are understood to have attended both buildings on Tuesday morning but it is believed they did not remove or arrest worshippers, who are believed to have refused to leave until Tuesday evening.
A man holds a folding table in an image believed to show people preparing for the celebrations that saw police hand out fines for lockdown breaches
Journalists on the scene were told nobody was inside the synagogue, but they were contradicted by ‘multiple witnesses who live nearby who say there have been people in one building since 8pm [on Monday] night and a second building since 4.30am [on Tuesday].’
Officers blocked roads and laneways surrounding the two buildings and were believed to be preparing to issue fines for Covid breaches when the worshippers exit.
It was understood Victorian Health officials are with Victorian Police.
Daily Mail Australia left messages for Adass Israel Synagogue but it is understood worshippers do not use their phones during Rosh Hashanah.
Reports on social media also said police responded to reports of worshippers gathering in large numbers and when they knocked at the synagogue those inside refused to allow them in.
Social media users expressed frustration and anger at the worshippers for failing to follow directions that most of the state’s residents are complying with.