An alleged vandal accused of repeatedly defacing a Melbourne synagogue, at least twice while wearing a mask from the horror movie Scream, has been charged.
The 37-year-old man, from South Yarra, is accused of targeting the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Toorak Road, South Yarra, with graffiti six times between March and August.
Police have previously said he wore different face coverings on different occasions, including a bandana and the Scream mask.
On June 21 and 22, which coincided with the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, the man allegedly sprayed “Iran is Da Bomb” and “Free Palestine” on the building’s heritage-listed facade.
CCTV released this month showed someone wearing a white mask approach the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on an e-scooter before vandalising the synagogue. He fled on the scooter.
The man most recently targeted the synagogue on August 19, police allege.
Melbourne crime investigation unit detectives raided the man’s South Yarra home on Monday and seized items allegedly related to the vandalism.
The man was arrested and charged with almost two dozen offences, including six counts of criminal damage, six counts of marking offensive graffiti and driving offences.
The 37-year-old was granted bail to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 21.
Speaking to The Age this month, the synagogue’s Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson described the graffiti as cowardly.
“[It] weighs heavy on individuals ... where they see the Australia that they love and have contributed to and have been a part of and called home for such a long time, to bring their children to a place of worship … and have to shield them … from the hatred that is lurking just outside the doors,” Nathanson said.
Police last week charged a second man over the alleged firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue. That man was allegedly one of three who broke into the synagogue in Ripponlea in Melbourne’s south-east and set it on fire in December last year.
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