Australia's Prime Minister has been heckled during an event at a Sydney mosque marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke were attending Eid prayers at Lakemba Mosque, one of the country's largest mosques, invited by community leaders.
Several attendees accused the pair of being genocide supporters, shouting boo and get out of here as a mosque leader called for the government to engage better with Muslim Australians.
There is mounting discontent within much of Australia's Muslim community over the government's response to the Israel-Gaza war and rising Islamophobia at home.
A man heckling Albanese was removed from the mosque by police but released without charge.
As Albanese exited, he continued to face criticism from attendees. One individual asked, Why is he here? Get him out of here! It's a disgrace.
Following the event, the Lebanese Muslim Association released a statement affirming Albanese's welcome at the prayers amid rising tensions due to the ongoing suffering in Gaza and Lebanon.
Albanese claimed he had received a warm welcome from most of the 30,000-plus crowd at the mosque, stating, Overwhelmingly the reception was incredibly positive. He suggested that the dissent from a few protestors might stem from recent government efforts to outlaw extremist organizations.
Earlier, Albanese had shared on social media that it was an honor to join the prayers, alongside positive images of his interactions with worshippers.
During the prayers, community leader Gamel Kheir conveyed that they cannot entirely disengage nor invite politicians for mere photo opportunities, illustrating the delicate balance the community seeks in dealing with political representation and advocacy.
This incident reflects ongoing tensions, as reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia have surged in Australia following the escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel.
