Australian Muslims demand tougher action against Islamophobia amid rising threats
'We will not wait for another tragedy. We demand protection, respect, and the right to live without fear,' says mosque that was threatened
ISTANBUL
Muslims in Australia are demanding stronger measures against Islamophobia following threats targeting the community.
The Lakemba Mosque in Sydney, New South Wales, shared a disturbing threat it received on TikTok.
“Christchurch again please,” a user named Wello commented under a post by the mosque, in reference to the March 15, 2019, Christchurch attack when Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist, killed 51 victims and injured 40 others at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in New Zealand.
The Lakemba Mosque issued a statement that demanded immediate action against rising Islamophobia.
“Over the past weeks, we have seen targeted attacks on mosques and Islamic schools across social media. Now, Lakemba Mosque has been directly threatened, with vile references to the Christchurch attack,” it said.
The mosque emphasized the need for “stronger laws to recognize and criminalize anti-Muslim hate, media and politicians to stop fueling division with misinformation and Australians of all backgrounds standing up against Islamophobia” to ensure the safety of the Muslim community.
“We will not wait for another tragedy before action is taken. We demand protection, respect, and the right to live without fear in our own country,” it added.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns condemned the threat in a post on X, confirming that police launched an investigation.
“Every single person in our state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats, and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW,” Minns stated.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek also denounced the threat on his Facebook page as “another disgusting case of Islamophobia.”
“Hate speech and intolerance against the Muslim community is on the rise and we must all call it out,” the mayor urged.
Earlier this month, Australian police arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with an investigation into a violent online threat targeting a newly-opened mosque in Sydney, which made references to a terror massacre.
