MELBOURNE, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Australian police are investigating a suspected arson attack after a vehicle displaying a "Happy Chanukah" sign was set alight early on Thursday in Melbourne's southeastern suburb of St Kilda East.
Victoria Police said the incident occurred at about 2:50 a.m. local time on Christmas Day on Balaclava Road, where a silver sedan parked in the driveway of a residence was deliberately ignited.
According to Melbourne-based newspaper The Age, the vehicle reportedly belonged to a rabbi. No injuries were reported, but members of the household were evacuated as a precaution.
Emergency services extinguished the blaze, and the damaged vehicle was later removed from the scene. Police described the incident as suspicious and said investigations are ongoing.
Chanukah, also known as Hanukkah, is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights observed this year from Dec. 14 to Dec. 22.
The incident occurred 11 days after a shooting attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah-related gathering on the first day of the festival, which left at least 16 people dead, including one of the two gunmen. ■
