Political Leaders Condemn Islamophobic Graffiti in Sydney

Women listen to a local Imam during National Mosque open day at the Werribee Islamic Centre in the suburb of Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne, Australia on October 25, 2014. Luis Ascui/Getty Images

Islamophobic graffiti discovered in Sefton, a multicultural suburb in Sydney’s west, has sparked widespread condemnation from political leaders and an investigation by New South Wales (NSW) Police.

The offensive messages, including “[Expletive] Islam” spray-painted on both sides of an underpass and “cancel Islam” scrawled on a nearby advertisement, were reported on Sunday morning.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers described the incident as “disgraceful and completely unacceptable,” calling for unity amid rising tensions.

“It was cowardly, and there’s no place for it. We don’t want to see the problems of the world tearing our communities apart. There’s too much of this, and we all need to come together at this time because people are genuinely worried about their own communities and their own safety,” he said in an interview with ABC Radio on Dec. 16.

Education Minister Jason Clare echoed similar sentiments, labelling Islamophobia and antisemitism as equally reprehensible.

“Children aren’t born racist; this is a parasite that eats away at people and our community,” Clare said, urging leaders and media to call out such acts.

He shared a poignant story of how a Jewish child and his Muslim best friend continue to support each other despite ongoing global conflicts.

“It’s brain-dead morons writing things on walls in Sydney that undermine all of that. That’s why we need to call it out and do everything we can to keep our country together,” Clare said.

Broader Concerns About Religious Intolerance

Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, who recently downplayed the prevalence of Islamophobia, condemned the graffiti as “abhorrent and disgraceful.”

In a social media post, Sharma stated, “The intimidation, harassment, and vilification of religious communities in Australia simply has to stop.”

The incident coincides with data from the Islamophobia Register that shows a significant rise in incidents targeting Muslims across Australia.

The organisation reports a 600 percent increase in Islamophobic harassment, verbal abuse, physical attacks, and online hate over the past year.

“The lived experiences of Muslims reveal that Islamophobia is not only real but also rapidly escalating to alarming levels, posing a significant danger to their safety,” the organisation said.

Adding to these concerns, a recent survey by the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) found widespread Islamophobia, anti-Arab sentiment, and anti-Palestinian racism in ACT universities.

The findings revealed that over 70 percent of respondents felt uncomfortable expressing grief over Middle Eastern conflicts, nearly half felt unsafe wearing cultural or religious attire, and 62.5 percent reported mental health impacts due to discrimination.

Rising Intolerance Sparks Calls for Action

The graffiti incident follows last week’s condemnation of anti-Israel messages found in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, days after an arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne.

NSW Premier Chris Minns described the Woollahra graffiti as “deeply shocking,” while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese underscored the need for stronger action to counter hate crimes.

A specialised federal police task force is now investigating anti-Semitic incidents across Australia in response to the synagogue attack.

According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, anti-Semitic incidents have surged by 316 percent in the 12 months leading up to October, further highlighting the growing challenge of upholding Australia’s social cohesion.