Another two hospitality venues were targeted by firebombers overnight in an escalation in the city’s ‘pub wars’.
The George Hotel in South Melbourne and Almina, a Lebanese restaurant in Docklands, were hit by arsonists in the early hours of Saturday.
Broken glass and an abandoned jerry can could be seen outside Almina early Saturday as police stood guard.
Three males were arrested over the fire, which was set around 3.30am, police said.
The alleged offenders were apprehended after encountering uniformed police officers while attempting to flee in a stolen vehicle.
They attempted to escape on foot but were soon located and arrested.
Two were found hiding under the Bolte Bridge in Ron Barassi Snr Park and the other was in a vehicle on Docklands Drive that also allegedly contained jerry cans.
A 19-year-old Collingwood man, a 22-year-old Fitzroy North man and a 16-year-old boy will be interviewed by investigators today.
Meanwhile the entrance of The George Hotel was marked with heavy black scorching and debris believed to be remnants of a molotov cocktail on Saturday morning.
The two overnight attacks come as The Emerson in South Yarra appears to have taken the drastic measure of parking a 40ft truck trailer on the street out the front of the venue to block the facade from passing cars.
It was recently the target of a drive-by shooting with several shots fired at the pub in the early hours of April 26.
It was also the target of arsonists on two other occasions: once in February and again in April.
There have been more than 20 attacks or attempted attacks on Melbourne night-life venues since February.
Police are probing whether bikies, Middle Eastern organised crime syndicates or an illegal booze operation are behind the “extremely concerning” campaign of firebombings, shootings and kidnappings targeting the city’s night-time hotspots.
Operation Eclipse was established this week to establish the key players and motives behind the brazen attacks.
The Emerson, The Albion Hotel, Soho Restaurant and Bar and Bar Bambi are among the venues targeted in recent weeks.