Australia sees sharp rise in Islamophobia, report finds
BRISBANE, Australia (MNTV) – Islamophobic incidents across Australia have surged dramatically in recent years, with a new report revealing a sharp rise in assaults, threats, and abuse targeting the Muslim community.
Researchers from Monash and Deakin Universities analysed over 600 incidents recorded between January 2023 and November 2024, more than doubling the previous reporting period’s average.
The report, based on data from the Islamophobia Register, found that nearly half of these attacks took place in New South Wales (NSW), home to the country’s largest Muslim population. Muslim women, particularly those wearing visible Islamic attire, were disproportionately targeted.
“It’s obviously horrible for the community that’s on the receiving end of these attacks,” said Susan Carland, one of the report’s authors. “But it’s also bad for all Australians. This isn’t just a Muslim problem, it’s an all-of-Australia problem.”
The report highlights a correlation between rising Islamophobic incidents and major geopolitical events. Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, anti-Muslim sentiment intensified in Australia, particularly at pro-Palestinian rallies and university encampments.
“We saw a real spike at that point,” Carland said. “What we’re seeing is an amplification of a problem that was already there.”
Some victims reported being assaulted or harassed simply for displaying Palestinian symbols. Aboud Shaweesh, a participant in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Adelaide, recounted how he and his friends were attacked in a hotel elevator for wearing traditional keffiyehs.
“He just indiscriminately started hitting. There were five of us assaulted by him, some of us were punched in the face,” Shaweesh said. “At one point, he said he was going to kill all of us.”
The past three months have seen several high-profile Islamophobic incidents, including, an online death threat against a Sydney mosque, the assault of two Muslim women in separate attacks at a Melbourne shopping centre on the same day and the verbal abuse of a Muslim woman while shopping in Sydney’s Kmart
The online space has also witnessed an alarming surge in anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).
According to the report, online hate crimes spiked following significant national events, such as the Wakeley church stabbing and the Bondi Junction attack, in which six people were killed by Joel Cauchi. False claims on social media attempted to link the incident to Islamic terrorism.
“Our research shows that domestic and international factors are at play,” Carland noted. “We saw a mix of horrible messages posted on social media, private messages sent to people, abusive emails, and threatening comments.”
The findings raise concerns about the safety and social cohesion of Australia’s Muslim community. Experts warn that the surge in Islamophobic incidents is not only damaging the sense of security among Muslim Australians but also undermining Australia’s multicultural identity.
While advocacy groups continue to call for stronger action against hate crimes, the study underscores the urgent need for greater public awareness, government intervention, and online moderation to curb the rise of Islamophobia in Australia.
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