The arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, along with several other incidents, has led to the establishment of a dedicated taskforce known as Operation Avalite.

The task force is set to tackle antisemitism and ensure the safety of Australia’s Jewish communities.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner of National Security, Krissy Barrett, told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, ‘We police the criminality, not the religion or the race or the community group. We’re very objective in that.”

“So we will investigate the offence, the criminality, regardless of what sector of the community it may relate to.”

“We do investigate these offences quite regularly, but this special operation does allow us to focus in on the Jewish community and what we’re seeing in the current environment,’ Deputy Commissioner Barrett said.

Hear more highlights from Peter Fegan below:

Image: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty

Download this podcast here