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Friday, Feb 21, 2025
Outside the box.
Senator Critiques Responses to Recent Islamophobia Incidents in Australia
Senator Fatima Payman raises concerns over political and media reactions to violent attacks against Muslim women.
Senator Fatima Payman has publicly criticized both the media and political figures for their responses to recent incidents of Islamophobia in Australia, emphasizing the urgent need for acknowledgment and action against racism.
This statement follows reports of two Muslim women being allegedly assaulted in broad daylight in Melbourne.
The assaults reportedly occurred in a shopping complex in Lalor, with police confirming they are treating the incidents as 'prejudice-motivated attacks'.
According to law enforcement, around 1:10 PM on Thursday, a 30-year-old woman was attacked, and about ten minutes later, a second assault involved a 26-year-old woman being pushed to the ground.
The victims, one of whom is pregnant, were hospitalized with injuries including bruises and scratches.
Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has highlighted that these incidents underscore the significant presence of Islamophobia and its often violent manifestations towards visibly Muslim individuals.
'It was shocking to hear about these attacks — they were violent, unprovoked, distressing,' Sivaraman stated, pointing out that a candid recognition of racism is critical for social cohesion.
In a social media video, Senator Payman questioned why Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not taken a firmer public stance against the alleged attacks, arguing that the media exhibited double standards in their coverage.
'Crickets from the PM and lowkey reporting from journos when it comes to Islamophobic attacks,' she commented, criticizing the perceived lack of outrage surrounding these violent incidents.
Echoing Payman’s sentiments, Adel Salman from the Islamic Council of Victoria called for Australian leaders to respond to anti-Muslim hatred with the same seriousness as they have shown towards antisemitism and other forms of hate.
'Why is the government so reluctant to take such a strong stance as they have with antisemitism?' he queried, referencing past incidents of terrorism and violence against Muslims, including the tragic Christchurch massacre.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils President, Rateb Jneid, added that the physical security of Muslims in Australia is threatened daily, and criticized the response from authorities as 'grossly insufficient'.
He expressed concern over the visible disparity in responses to incidents affecting different communities.
In response to inquiries about the government's stance, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the alleged attacks as 'horrific' and stated unequivocally that 'this sort of evil hatred, in this instance Islamophobia, has absolutely no place in our community.'
Additionally, Julian Hill, the federal assistant minister for multicultural affairs, issued a statement underscoring that Muslim Australians 'have every right to feel safe and included while going about their business.' The Prime Minister’s office referenced Hill's statement when pressed for comments following queries about the response to this incident compared to the government's actions regarding recent antisemitic incidents.
This statement follows reports of two Muslim women being allegedly assaulted in broad daylight in Melbourne.
The assaults reportedly occurred in a shopping complex in Lalor, with police confirming they are treating the incidents as 'prejudice-motivated attacks'.
According to law enforcement, around 1:10 PM on Thursday, a 30-year-old woman was attacked, and about ten minutes later, a second assault involved a 26-year-old woman being pushed to the ground.
The victims, one of whom is pregnant, were hospitalized with injuries including bruises and scratches.
Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has highlighted that these incidents underscore the significant presence of Islamophobia and its often violent manifestations towards visibly Muslim individuals.
'It was shocking to hear about these attacks — they were violent, unprovoked, distressing,' Sivaraman stated, pointing out that a candid recognition of racism is critical for social cohesion.
In a social media video, Senator Payman questioned why Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had not taken a firmer public stance against the alleged attacks, arguing that the media exhibited double standards in their coverage.
'Crickets from the PM and lowkey reporting from journos when it comes to Islamophobic attacks,' she commented, criticizing the perceived lack of outrage surrounding these violent incidents.
Echoing Payman’s sentiments, Adel Salman from the Islamic Council of Victoria called for Australian leaders to respond to anti-Muslim hatred with the same seriousness as they have shown towards antisemitism and other forms of hate.
'Why is the government so reluctant to take such a strong stance as they have with antisemitism?' he queried, referencing past incidents of terrorism and violence against Muslims, including the tragic Christchurch massacre.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils President, Rateb Jneid, added that the physical security of Muslims in Australia is threatened daily, and criticized the response from authorities as 'grossly insufficient'.
He expressed concern over the visible disparity in responses to incidents affecting different communities.
In response to inquiries about the government's stance, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the alleged attacks as 'horrific' and stated unequivocally that 'this sort of evil hatred, in this instance Islamophobia, has absolutely no place in our community.'
Additionally, Julian Hill, the federal assistant minister for multicultural affairs, issued a statement underscoring that Muslim Australians 'have every right to feel safe and included while going about their business.' The Prime Minister’s office referenced Hill's statement when pressed for comments following queries about the response to this incident compared to the government's actions regarding recent antisemitic incidents.
