Crowds gather to hold vigils for slain Hezbollah leader

Crowds have gathered at Sydney mosques to hold vigils for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in scenes that have been labelled ‘deeply disturbing’.

Crowds have gathered outside mosques in Sydney to mourn Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Nasrallah has been called a “terrorist” with “blood on his hands” after leading the group for four decades.

His death by air strike on Friday was welcomed by the US who said he was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans.

Police in Sydney and Melbourne have said they will investigate after people were seen flying the Hezbollah flag at pro-Palestine protests over the weekend.

Mourners gather at Al Rahman mosque in Kingsgrove after the death of Hezbollah leader. Photo Jeremy Piper

NSW Police referred to the flags as a symbol of a “terrorist organisation”.

“People have to know that they are carrying a symbol that is prohibited,” NSW Assistant Commissioner for Central Metropolitan Region Peter McKenna said.

“Generally speaking, we give them the opportunity to remove that symbol, and if they don’t, and they continue presenting that symbol in a public place, then they may have committed that offence.”

On Monday evening hundreds of people attended vigils at three mosques in Sydney to pay tribute to Nasrallah.

People hold up the yellow Hezbollah flag at a protest at Town Hall in Sydney Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Crowds spilt out onto the street at the Al Rahman Mosque in Kingsgrove at around 7pm as the vigil got underway.

Meanwhile the Sayeda Zainab Centre, in Banksia, has commenced a three day vigil to remember Nasrallah, posting on Facebook that it would be holding mourning councils from Sunday to Tuesday, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Al Zahra Mosque, in Arncliffe, also said on Facebook that it would be holding events over three days.

“Three days of mourning will be held … for the soul of the leader of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, the souls of the righteous martyrs who departed with him and all those who have been innocently slain as a result of the Zionist aggression in Lebanon and Palestine,” the post read.

All three Mosques are of Shia denomination, the dominant Muslim belief of Hezbollah.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin called the vigils “deeply disturbing”.

“Hezbollah is an organisation that conducts terror operations using cells throughout the world to hit non-military targets including community centres, planes and embassies,” he said.

“It is deeply disturbing to have pro-Hezbollah gatherings in our city.

“This goes to the heart of public safety and national security and it requires a strong police response.”