Protesters heckle Australian PM at Eid prayers over Israel stance

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled and booed on Friday during a visit to the country’s largest mosque for Eid al-Fitr prayers, as protesters expressed anger over his government’s position on Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

Footage from the event at Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney showed demonstrators interrupting the proceedings about 15 minutes after Albanese, accompanied by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, joined worshippers to mark the end of Ramadan. Protesters shouted slogans, told the leaders to “Get out!” and called them “genocide supporters,” referring to Israeli attacks on Palestinians following Hamas militant activity in 2023.

“Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit,” one of the organisers urged, asking attendees to sit down and refrain from filming the exchange. A security guard was seen tackling one heckler to the ground before escorting him away. Some protesters continued shouting “Shame on you!” as Albanese and Burke left the mosque.

Albanese later described the event as “incredibly positive” despite the disruption. “If you got a couple of people heckling in a crowd of 30,000, that should be put in that perspective,” he told reporters, noting the community had handled the incident calmly.

The unrest partly stems from recent government actions, including the designation of Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir as a prohibited hate group, following the deadly mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14.

Similar protests occurred in February when Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Australia at Albanese’s invitation to show solidarity with Jewish Australians reportedly targeted during the Bondi attack.

Some members of Australia’s Muslim and Jewish communities have criticised the centre-left government’s stance on the Gaza conflict, which balances concern for Palestinians, repeated calls for a ceasefire, and recognition of Israel’s right to self-defence.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions within Australia’s diverse communities over foreign policy and local security measures, coinciding with the nation’s observance of the Eid festival.