Political rhetoric and “irresponsible media commentary” are actively fuelling violence against Muslims, one of the nation’s top Islamic bodies has warned, following an alleged attack on an imam and his wife.
The Australian National Imams Council said falsely tying peaceful pro-Palestinian advocacy to the Bondi terror attacks had “contributed directly” to a “surge in Islamophobic abuse, threats and physical assaults”.
Three people have been arrested after Imam Dr Ismet Purdic, 47, and his wife were allegedly racially abused and driven off the road in Melbourne’s south-east Saturday night.
The couple were allegedly abused by the occupants of a small black hatch on South Gippsland Highway, in Dandenong South, before being forced off the road into a service station, Victorian Police said.
“Political rhetoric and irresponsible media commentary are actively fuelling this violence” — ANIC
The three occupants exited their vehicle, “continued to racially abuse the victims”, and “damage their vehicle”, before Dr Purdic was allegedly assaulted.
“A 47-year old Noble Park man, hopped out of the vehicle and was allegedly assaulted,” police said.
“The offenders allegedly returned to their vehicle and fled” after members of the public intervened.
A 23-year-old man, of Cranbourne North, and a 22-year-old man, of Cranbourne East, were arrested Sunday and charged with criminal damage and common law assault, police said.
An 18-year-old Dandenong South woman from was released pending summons.
Dr Purdic is the leader the Bosnia-Herzegovina Islamic Society, in Melbourne’s south-east.
Australian National Imams Council members during a press conference in Sydney, April 2024. Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP
In a statement, the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) said the two men “exhibited behaviour and language consistent with white-supremacist and extremist hate ideology”.
ANIC alleges Dr Purdic was “punched in the face”, and that the men threatened to stab his wife.
“ANIC alleges the men threatened to stab Dr Purdic’s wife”
The 23-year-old man was held in custody overnight to appear in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court today; while the 22-year-old man was granted bail to appear before the same court on May 22.
ANIC, which represents over 300 imams nationwide, said Muslims were facing “escalating danger” as a result of irresponsible media and political rhetoric.
“ANIC warns that political rhetoric and irresponsible media commentary are actively fuelling this violence,” the body said.
“Particularly the dangerous false equivalence being drawn between peaceful pro-Palestinian advocacy and the Bondi terror attacks”.
“Particularly the dangerous false equivalence being drawn between peaceful pro-Palestinian advocacy and the Bondi terror attacks” — ANIC
“We call for urgent…stronger national action to confront Islamophobia, far-right extremism and hate-fuelled violence in Australia,” ANIC said.
“All Australians deserve to feel safe going about their daily lives without fear of being abused, threatened or attacked”.
In late December ANIC publicly warned “divisive rhetoric” and “harmful media narratives” following the Bondi attack was causing a “rising backlash” against Muslim Australians.
“Muslim communities are facing an alarming surge in hate-driven incidents, including hateful graffiti at the Islamic College of Melbourne, dismembered pigs thrown onto graves at a Muslim cemetery in Narellan, NSW, and visibly Muslim women being spat at, abused and threatened in Perth,” the group said.
“We call for urgent…stronger national action to confront Islamophobia, far-right extremism and hate-fuelled violence” — ANIC
“ANIC is also alarmed by the way divisive political rhetoric and irresponsible media commentary stigmatise Muslim communities, reinforce harmful stereotypes and create an environment in which racism and abuse are emboldened,” ANIC said on December 29.
“The sweeping and unjustIfied backlash directed at an entire community for the actions of two individuals is unacceptable and dangerous.
“Selective outrage, where some forms of racism are rightly condemned while others are minimised, excused or ignored, further entrenches division and erodes trust,” ANIC said.
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