Australian PM Heckled At Sydney Mosque Amid Tensions Over Islamist Ban, Bondi Beach Massacre

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (Worthy News) – Video has emerged showing protesters booing and chasing away Anthony ‌Albanese and Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke at the nation’s largest mosque after the government banned an Islamist group following a recent massacre of Australian Jews.

The disturbance at Lakemba Mosque in Sydney unfolded Friday as the leaders attended prayers marking the end of Ramadan, with footage showing a small group of demonstrators shouting “get out” and accusing the government of supporting “genocide,” prompting security to intervene.

Witnesses said one heckler was tackled by security personnel and removed, while an organiser urged calm, telling the crowd: “Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm… It is Eid. It is a joyful day.”

Video of the event showed hardline Muslims making lengthy interruptions, including telling them to “get out!” and calling them “genocide supporters”.

A security guard was seen tackling one ‌heckler to the ground before escorting him away.

At one point during the disturbances, an organiser told the crowd to sit down and stop filming, saying, “dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit”, and “It is ⁠Eid. It is a joyful day”.

‘SHAME ON YOU’

But the animosity continued, with some shouting “shame on you” as the politicians left.

The prime minister described the event as “incredibly positive”, adding that “if you got a couple of people heckling in a crowd of 30,000, that should be put in that perspective”.

Yet the incident came despite the prime minister recognizing the State of Palestine in September last year, underscoring what critics said was the growing influence of radical Islam in Australia.

Albanese said some were frustrated at his government’s decision, earlier this month, to list Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir as a prohibited hate group under laws brought in after December’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Earlier this month, an alleged gunman accused of killing 15 people by opening fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach sought a court order to stop his family from being named.

DOZENS OF CHARGES

Naveed Akram, 24, faces 59 charges ​over the shooting on December 14, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder ​, and a terror offence.

His dad, Sajid Akram, who police say was also involved in the mass killing at a Jewish festival, was shot dead by police at the scene.

Investigators claim the men attacked on December 14 using several high-powered weapons that the 50-year-old father acquired legally.

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