In the moments before Anthony Albanese arrived at the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne’s south-east, community leaders sensed there could be trouble.
“We don’t want any heckling of the prime minister, not today,” said one leader to a community member outside the synagogue, who had voiced his frustration with the government.
Albanese’s visit on Tuesday to the synagogue in Melbourne after it was hit by an arson attack last week was not widely telegraphed. People gathered outside the synagogue asked each other how they’d heard about it. Some said they’d been told by journalists; others said they read about it online.
As he stepped out of his car, the prime minister was welcomed by Adass leaders alongside Labor MP Josh Burns, who would later urge people to remain calm.
They spoke in front of a makeshift steel fence that blocked off the destroyed facade of the synagogue. Pinned to the fence were flowers and notes, including a hand-written message from a 10-year-old girl, Ruth Sharma.
“I am a proud Hindu and support you guys, those bad people will learn their lesson,” Sharma said. “Australia belongs to everyone, no matter who you are and what religion you practice. We share a common bond that unites us.”
She stole the prime minister’s words. Moments later, Albanese told the Jewish community “we’re a country that needs to come together and unite”.
He pledged to help rebuild the synagogue and to “make sure that those who perpetrated this evil crime … get the message that Australia is not a country that will tolerate such an act”.
As he toured inside the destroyed synagogue, a crowd began to bottleneck at the end of a narrow, bluestone laneway. Mixed in between journalists were members of the Orthodox community, other religious and community leaders, and curious observers.
When the prime minister eventually walked towards them, the crowd drew towards him. An older woman was pushed and an Orthodox man clung to a walking frame as cameramen ran around him for a better view.
Then the heckling began. “Time to resign,” yelled one bystander. “MIA,” yelled another. “Go live in Gaza”, “nice day for tennis”, “you’re late” and “you let this happen”, said others.
The shouts were quickly silenced by community leaders, who urged people to remain quiet. The hecklers were isolated, but their anger was shared by others who quietly listened to the prime minister.
Some told Guardian Australia they were upset the prime minister had not visited the synagogue until now. Others were upset the attack wasn’t immediately declared a terrorist incident – Victoria police said the attack would be treated as an act of terrorism on Monday.
“I am devastated about what has happened,” said Janet, who described herself as a fourth-generation Australian Jew. “I am devastated that our government didn’t call it what it was, a terrorist attack, straight away. This is just a photo op.”
Benjamin Klein, a board member at the Adass Israel synagogue, told Guardian Australia he understood the anger some people felt, but said it was not shared by the leadership team, who were grateful for the prime minister’s support.
“I get it, I understand, some people’s lives have been affected,” Klein said. “They have to blame someone and they want to point the finger at someone. But that does not reflect the leadership of the community, absolutely not”.
Naomi Levin, the chief executive of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, also acknowledged the anger among some people at the synagogue.
“We have a whole range of emotions across our community,” Levin said. “But there is anger and that is because we have been telling anyone who will listen, for over a year now, that we are seeing a completely unacceptable rise in anti-Jewish hate.”
Some community leaders hope this attack will be a turning point that brings Melbourne closer together. They may take heart from a note pinned to the fence.
“An act of hate designed to intimidate has done the opposite – it has brought us all closer together,” the note said. “This behaviour, this antisemitism, has no place in our society.”
