A masked anti-Israel extremist has claimed responsibility for the recent firebombing of Lovitt Technologies in Melbourne, issuing a chilling threat to staff and pledging further attacks unless the company halts its arms supply to Israel.
The individual appeared in a video dressed in black, face covered, and voice digitally altered, identifying as part of a so-called “cell” behind the July 5 attack. Three vehicles were torched outside the Greensborough-based manufacturer, with anti-Semitic graffiti scrawled nearby.
In the video, the masked figure accuses every employee at Lovitt Technologies of complicity in what they call the “genocide in Gaza” and warns, “We have your addresses… Stop arming Israel or else.” They conclude with a disturbing chant: “Death to Israel, death to Australia, death to America.”
The video also includes instructions on how to carry out arson attacks and urges viewers to avoid leaving DNA or fingerprints. The attack on Lovitt coincided with two other major incidents that same weekend: the firebombing of Melbourne’s East Synagogue and the storming of Israeli restaurant Miznon by pro-Palestine activists.
Victorian Acting Premier Jaclyn Symes and Police Minister Anthony Carbines said they hadn’t seen the video but affirmed their commitment to tackling hate-fuelled extremism. “We’ve introduced anti-vilification legislation coming into effect in September,” said Ms Symes, though she declined to say if chants like “Death to the IDF” would be prosecutable.
Counter-terrorism detectives from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, and ASIO have launched an investigation through the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
Jewish community leaders have called the video “domestic terrorism.” Robert Gregory of the Australian Jewish Association said, “This is a deeply troubling escalation… Authorities must act urgently — before someone is seriously harmed or killed.” Alex Ryvchin from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry compared the video to material released by al-Qaeda.
Authorities have not linked the Lovitt attack with the synagogue or restaurant incidents but are reviewing the footage as part of their inquiry. The masked activist warned that unless the company stops producing weapons parts, “there will be consequences.”
