A Hindu temple was defaced with racist graffiti along with two Asian-run restaurants in Melbourne, raising concerns among the community members in Australia, a media report said on Thursday.

Shree Swaminarayan Temple on Wadhurst Drive, Melbourne’s eastern suburb of Boronia, was defaced with red-painted racist slurs on Monday morning, the Australia Today web portal reported. Two restaurants located further on Boronia Road were painted with the same slurs on the same day, it added.

The attack hints at the worrying rise in targeted hate incidents across Melbourne. Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan said, “What happened this week was hateful, racist and deeply disturbing. It wasn’t just vandalism… it was a deliberate act of hate, designed to intimidate, isolate, and spread fear.”