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Police are investigating the cause of the fire.Credit:Simon Schluter

“Victoria Police maintains its position that the fire does not appear to be racially motivated and the investigation is well advanced,” the spokeswoman said. Police refused to confirm if suspects have been identified,or whether charges are expected to be laid imminently.

The Palestinian-Australian owner and chief executive of Burgertory,Hash Tayeh,said he “respects the police investigatory process” in a statement provided to this masthead through his lawyer on Wednesday.

“In the lead-up to the arson destroying Mr Tayeh’s livelihood,he was the subject of an enormous amount of anger because of his outspoken support of the people of Palestine,” Tayeh’s lawyer,Moustafa Kheir,said in the statement.

“Mr Tayeh received an avalanche of threats culminating in the torching of his business. One would excuse Mr Tayeh for believing there was a connection between the threats he was receiving and[the] torching of his business.”

Immediately after the Hawthorn Roadstore was gutted on November 10,Tayeh released a statement linking the fire to criticism of his public comments and social media posts about the war between Israel and Hamas,maintaining he had only advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Today’s arson attack will not waver my calling for peace and will not silence me,” Tayeh said in a statement. “I am deeply troubled by the spread of rumours suggesting that we harbour antisemitic sentiments. I cannot stress enough that this could not be further from the truth.

“My participation in pro-Palestinian rallies was driven by a desire for peace and a ceasefire,not violence or division.”

Thefirebombing was caught on CCTV,which shows two people in white hoodies break into the shop through a window. Soon after,there is a large flash and the building catches alight.

Burgertory founder Hash Tayeh.Credit:Nine

The incident prompted about 400 people to gather near the Burgertory store and in a park opposite a local synagogue,with one person hit by a rock and another escorted from the scene.

On Monday,Tayeh told the media he had relocated his family to a safe house after receiving an anonymous threat on social media that he would be made a “Shahid” – meaning Muslim martyr.

Tayeh also appeared to clarify his previous comments during an appearance on the ABC’s7.30 on Monday,when he declined to speculate on the motive behind the firebombing,or any potential link to his pro-Palestine advocacy.

“Police are still investigating so I can’t comment on that. But what I can say is that whether it was a Muslim,a Jew,a Christian or an atheist,it’s a hate crime,” he said. “To say it’s a hate crime is not saying it’s a Jewish person,it’s saying you’ve hurt me,you’ve hurt my livelihood,you’ve hurt the livelihood of my staff.”

Tayeh said he had urged pro-Palestinian supporters not to protest last week. “I put out a public post asking everyone not to attend that rally,and that I did not want that to happen. I said that people should come to our store,support our store and support our staff and give them words of affirmation,” he told the ABC.

The violence on Fridayled to increased police patrols and political and faith leaders uniting to call for calm. On Wednesday,the Burgertory outlet in Caulfield remained boarded up and secured with metal fencing.

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