Publicans fear for people’s lives amid continued Melbourne bar firebombings

Melbourne’s hospitality war has grown further with three more attacks overnight.

One of the latest victims says it is only a matter of time before someone is killed, while another’s home is shot at while his wife and children sleep inside.

Two cars pulled up to a house in Pakenham and rammed the electric gate before confronting the owner and firing a shot.

The target was Dominic Porter, the co-owner of the Albion Hotel, which was set on fire by arsonists two weeks ago.

This morning’s ambush came just before 6 a.m. while Porter’s wife and children were sleeping inside.

It was one of many incidents in the early morning.

At 2.30am a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the George Hotel in South Melbourne.

Publican Scott Connolly said he feared for lives.

“The first thing that came to my mind this morning was thank God none of our staff was here,” he said.

‘There was no one upstairs. People can die from this. Eventually someone dies. It’s so pointless.’

He said he had received no demands from any crime syndicate believed responsible.

“It makes absolutely no sense to me why we would be targeted, and for a company that’s still finding its feet, it’s really crippling,” he said.

An hour after that attack, the Lebanese restaurant Almina in Docklands was set on fire.

The same restaurant was lit in 2023 during the tobacco war.

This time, police arrested three people in the area, aged 16 to 22.

There have been about a dozen attacks on hospitality venues since April, with Victoria Police launching Operation Eclipse in an effort to combat the crime wave.

Some popular locations are taking extra safety measures.

The Emmerson in South Yarra has parked a large truck outside the venue after shots were fired at the entrance last week.

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