A woman was allegedly slashed with a knife on the arm by a stranger while walking near a Jewish synagogue.
The woman, aged in her 20s, was walking along Hotham Street in St Kilda, in Melbourne’s south-east, when she was suddenly approached by a man at around 8.40am on Tuesday.
The man, 44, allegedly cut the woman on the arm and then tried to flee the scene.
A good Samaritan managed to restrain him until emergency services arrived.
An alleged stabbing incident took place next to the Yeshivah Center in East St Kilda, Melbourne.
The 44-year-old man was arrested and taken to hospital under police guard with minor injuries.
The woman was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Hotham Street has been blocked in both directions between Inkerman Street and Carlisle Street.
It is understood the incident occurred outside the Yeshivah Centre, an Orthodox Jewish organisation.
Victoria Police said in a statement that the woman and man did not know each other and ruled out a religiously motivated attack.
“At this early stage of the investigation, there is nothing to suggest that the incident was religiously motivated,” they said in a statement.