Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has issued a stark warning about a dramatic surge in anti-Muslim hatred across the nation following the devastating Bondi Junction terror attack. While the country grapples with grief and anger, Muslim communities are facing a wave of abuse, vandalism, and discrimination.
A Dramatic Spike in Hate Incidents
Community-led registers that document Islamophobia have recorded a shocking increase in reports. The Islamophobia Register Australia has seen a 740% rise in incidents since the attack at Bondi. Action Against Islamophobia has also noted a significant spike.
Reports include a spate of mosques and Islamic centres being vandalised across the country, the desecration of a Muslim cemetery in New South Wales, and a flood of abusive and threatening communications. Physical attacks and a torrent of online hate have created a climate of fear, particularly for Muslim women, who are disproportionately targeted.
The Dangerous Conflation of ISIS and Islam
Malik highlights a core issue fuelling the backlash: a troubling confusion in some parts of Australian society between the jihadist group Islamic State (ISIS) and the Islamic faith itself. This is despite the fact that Muslim religious leaders globally and imams across Australia have consistently denounced the extremist group.
This conflation was evident in social media commentary after the attack, with posts blaming "Islam" as a whole. Malik argues such rhetoric fosters social exclusion, gives a "permission to hate," and undermines Australian values of fairness and compassion.
Community Trust and the Shadow of Securitisation
The envoy also addresses the delicate balance between necessary security actions and community trust. He cites the arrest and subsequent release without charge of seven Muslim youths—dubbed "the Liverpool seven"—as an event that caused anxiety and frustration within the community.
While understanding the need for police to investigate credible leads, many Muslims fear such high-profile actions paint their entire community as suspects, spreading paranoia and eroding trust. Malik warns against a return to an era of suspicion and profiling, where Muslims feel compelled to constantly prove their innocence.
"Muslim Australians find this exhausting and distressing," he writes. "They should not have to carry the collective responsibility for acts of terror carried out by criminals."
A Call for Solidarity, Not Competitive Victimhood
Malik is careful to state that no Muslim leader wishes to diminish the profound suffering of the Jewish Australian community following the attack. There is a concern that speaking about Islamophobia now could be misconstrued as engaging in "competitive victimhood."
However, he asserts that society can and must stand against all forms of hatred simultaneously. "We can speak about both, standing in solidarity with Jewish communities by affirming our shared commitment to safety, dignity and mutual respect," he argues.
His final plea is for dignified debate and unity, urging Australians not to do the work of extremists by allowing society to rip itself apart. Quoting Marie Curie, he concludes: "Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
