Taxpayer funded multicultural leader Mohamed Mohideen backs death chants, defends Hamas

Despite a promise to crackdown on rampant anti-Semitism and extremism, the Allan government is refusing to stand down a taxpayer funded multicultural leader who has backed death chants, labelled Iran’s Supreme Leader a “hero” and defended Hamas.

Mohamed Mohideen. Picture: Jaimi Chisholm

A taxpayer funded multicultural leader tasked with promoting social cohesion has backed death chants, labelled Iran’s Supreme Leader a “hero” and defended Hamas in his latest round of anti-Israel social media rants.

Despite a promise to crackdown on rampant anti-Semitism and extremism, the Allan government has failed to stand down outspoken Victorian Multicultural Commissioner Mohamed Mohideen, who has repeatedly been accused of promoting “offensive and divisive” content.

In the past month, Mr Mohideen has reshared a post claiming the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) “bombs hospitals” and “tortures prisoners” while Hamas does not, and criticised a multicultural rally against terrorism.

On social media, he described UK singer Bob Vylan, who chanted “Death to the IDF” at Glastonbury and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei as heroes.

He has previously re-shared a post accusing Jews of setting up “terrorism cells” across Europe and Asia and re-shared a video featuring Jewish Professor Alan Dershowitz with devil horns.

Mr Mohideen labelled Iran’s Supreme Leader a “hero”.

Mr Mohideen, who made the posts as Islamic Council of Victoria president and not in his capacity as Mutlicultural Commissioner, has previously been investigated over his social media.

He did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

A state government spokesman said a probe into the Victorian Multicultural Commission, known as the Lekakis Review, would help to “ensure our institutions and personnel are equipped to reject division and stop hate”.

It comes as Dandenong Councillor and former Greens candidate Rhonda Garad was called out for cheering on the same death chants and retweeting a post that questioned why Jews need a homeland in the Middle East “when they already own America”.

Dr Garad claimed the social media content was not targeting Jewish people but aimed to bring attention to the deadly conflict in Gaza.

“There are so many Jewish Victorians that march with us to stop the genocide,” she

said.

“I have no problem with people who are Jewish but I want to bring attention to the

criminal actions of the Israeli Government.”

Dr Garad said she was representing the views of many of her constituents, some who had lost family members in Gaza.

Zionist Federation of Australia chief executive Alon Cassuto, however, urged Greater Dandenong Council to investigate Dr Garad’s posts, labelling her conduct “vile, hateful, and utterly incompatible” with the responsibilities of a councillor.

He also called out Mr Mohideen’s promotion of “anti-Semitic tropes” and defence of Hamas and the “barbaric Iranian regime”, saying he was “not fit to be a Victorian Multicultural Commissioner”.

A Council spokesman said it “does not endorse Cr Garard’s re-tweets in relation to the IDF, Israel or Zionism” and said some of her posts “support anti-Semitic language”.