The prime minister has condemned an “antisemitic hate incident” on Monday evening as “Nazi slogans” were allegedly yelled at school-age boys in a popular Jewish neighbourhood in Melbourne.

In a statement, police said investigators were told up to five boys were on Glen Eira Road in St Kilda East about 9.50pm on Monday night when a white ute drove past.

They allege the people inside the ute “yelled antisemitic abuse” at the boys before stopping their vehicle a short distance away.

“The victims ran across the road, the ute subsequently performed a U-turn and drove towards the victims,” police said.

“Fortunately no one was injured and the vehicle drove from the scene.”

Anthony Albanese said the alleged “antisemitic hate incident … targeting young Jewish boys has no place in our country”.

He said it would have been a “terrifying ordeal” for the young Australians to be allegedly targeted for their Jewish faith.

“At a time when Australians are joining with the Jewish community in sorrow and solidarity, it is beyond disgusting to see these cowards shouting Nazi slogans at young people,” he said.

“Victorian police are investigating and I want to see the perpetrators face the full force of the law.”

_{Sign up: AU Breaking News email}

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, detectives from Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit said they had identified two persons of interest and were following up a “number of avenues of inquiry”. Police alleged the perpetrators were also likely linked to a series of offending in the area, including aggravated burglaries and vehicle theft.

The state’s premier, Jacinta Allan, said antisemitic behaviour “has absolutely no place here in Victoria”.

She said if the alleged perpetrators had performed a Nazi salute, as had been reported in some media outlets, “that salute is banned here in Victoria, you can be prosecuted for that, and Victoria police will be investigating”.

“We already have the strongest anti-hate laws in the nation and my plan is to strengthen those anti-hate laws when parliament returns,” she said.

The federal member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, which covers St Kilda and Elsternwick, said the area was a “hub of Jewish life” where people deserved to feel safe.

“That community literally are the descendants of Holocaust survivors … who came to Australia looking for a safe haven, and it was a safe haven,” he told Sky News on Tuesday afternoon.

“To see that happen is just unacceptable.”

CEO of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Naomi Levin, said it was a “disgraceful, antisemitic attack”.

“Video is circulating of a group of a school-age Jewish boys being physically and verbally threatened in East St Kilda last night,” she said.

“The boys, who were outside a Jewish community and education centre, reported that the individuals in the car performed Nazi salutes, shouted Nazi slogans and followed them as they tried to reach a safe place.

“The perpetrators must be arrested and face the new, stronger Victorian anti-vilification laws.”

A Victoria police spokesperson said there was “absolutely no place in our society for antisemitic, racist or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated”.

“The investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the incident or the vehicle in the area to come forward,” they said.

The incident occurred near the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, built by Holocaust survivors who fled Europe, which was subject to an arson attack in the early hours of 6 December 2024.

The arson was condemned at the time by Allan as a hateful and violent “act of antisemitism”.