From Reuters:
Some in Australia’s Muslim and Jewish communities are angry over a fine line walked by the centre-left government since the Gaza war began, expressing concern for Palestinians, repeatedly urging a ceasefire, and backing Israel’s right to self-defence.
Video images showed protesters interrupting proceedings about 15 minutes after Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke joined worshippers at Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Demonstrators interrupted Albanese and Burke, calling them “genocide supporters” and urging them to leave, referencing the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
One heckler was tackled by security and escorted away.
“Shame on you!” yelled protesters as Albanese and Burke left the building.
Albanese declared the mosque event “incredibly positive” later, despite the obvious turmoil.
“If you got a couple of people heckling in a crowd of 30,000, that should be put in that perspective,” he told reporters.
He said frustration likely also arose from the government’s designation of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist organization, as a prohibited hate group on the basis of laws passed after a deadly mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14.
Australia's prime minister has been booed and shouted at by protesters during a visit to the country's largest mosque.
Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke attended Eid prayers at Lakemba Mosque on Friday morning pic.twitter.com/I1PCUBajss
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 20, 2026
Aussie PM shouted down at Sydney mosque after Muslim leaders declare Aboriginal Australians the land’s ‘rightful custodians’ pic.twitter.com/EeuADyvzzd
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) March 20, 2026
Read more at Reuters
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