NSW Police are investigating and community leaders are calling for “stronger laws to criminalise anti-Muslim hate” after a TikTok user called for “Christchurch again please” on a video of Lakemba mosque during Ramadan.
The official Lakemba Mosque account posted a time-lapse video of worshippers leaving during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. A TikTok user named wello commented on the video saying “Christchurch again please”, an apparent reference to Brenton Tarrant’s massacre of 51 Muslims at prayer in the New Zealand city in 2019.
Later in the comments, he claimed he lived in Silverwater prison.
NSW Police have launched an investigation into the online threat.
“The NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously and encourages anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime to report the matter to police. It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone.”
The incident comes a fortnight after a teenager from Western Australia, who cannot be identified because he is underage, was charged over alleged violent threats to another Sydney mosque. The 16-year-old allegedly posted on Instagram that he would “christ church 2.0” the newly opened Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park.
He remains before the courts.
Lakemba Mosque called for “stronger laws to recognise and criminalise anti-Muslim hate”.Credit: Christopher Harris
In a statement, Lakemba Mosque demanded “stronger laws to recognise and criminalise anti-Muslim hate” and for the community to take a stand against Islamaphobia.
“Lakemba Mosque has been directly threatened, with vile references to the Christchurch attack. Hate speech, threats, and Islamophobia are on the rise,” it said on Thursday.
“Places of worship and education should be safe spaces. Yet, our community continues to face attacks simply for practicing our faith and educating our children.”
Premier Chris Minns labelled the threat “truly disgusting” in a statement on Thursday.
“The NSW Police Force have launched an urgent investigation into this threat and those responsible will face the full force of the law.
“Every single person in our state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW.”
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