Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke were invited by community leaders to attend Eid prayers at Lakemba Mosque in Sydney on Friday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. However, the event was marred by protests as several attendees accused the pair of being "genocide supporters," shouting "boo" and "get out of here" while a mosque leader delivered a speech calling for the government to better engage with Muslim Australians. This incident highlights deep-seated discontent within Australia's Muslim community over the government's response to the Israel-Gaza war and rising Islamophobia domestically.

The heckling occurred during a speech by community leader Gamel Kheir, who urged the government to improve dialogue with Muslim Australians. A man shouting at Albanese was removed from the mosque by police but later released without charge and told to move on. After the speech concluded, the prime minister made his way through the crowds and continued to be shouted at by several people, with one asking, "Why is he here? Get him out of here! It's a disgrace."

Following the incident, the Lebanese Muslim Association, which operates the mosque, released a statement affirming that Albanese was welcome at the prayers and that they would "continue to open" their doors. The statement noted, "We understand that emotions are high, particularly given the ongoing suffering in Gaza and the devastation in Lebanon. These are not distant issues for our community." However, it also emphasized that choosing to engage with the elected leadership of the country is not a betrayal of these concerns but a way to give them a voice.

Albanese later told media that he was warmly received by most of the over 30,000-strong crowd at the mosque, which has been the target of several threatening letters in recent months. He suggested that the unrest from a few protesters might be linked to his government's recent moves to outlaw extremist organizations such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group that calls for a single Islamic government across the Muslim world and has been accused of celebrating terrorism.

The incident underscores growing societal tensions in Australia since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent offensive in Gaza, which have led to increased reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia. Lakemba Mosque has faced threatening letters in recent months, and this Friday's prayer marked the first time the prime minister had been invited since the start of the Israel-Gaza conflict, reflecting the sensitive political climate.

Source: www.bbc.com