Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced a heated protest at Lakemba Mosque on Friday as he participated in Eidul Fitr prayers. The crowd, angry over his stance on Israel’s offensive in Gaza, booed and heckled him, calling for a ceasefire and expressing concern for Palestinians.
Videos showed the protesters interrupting proceedings around 15 minutes into the event, with some chanting “Get out!” and “Genocide supporters.” A security guard tackled one protester to the ground before escorting him away. Despite the disruption, Albanese later described the event as “incredibly positive,” noting that a couple of hecklers in a crowd of 30,000 should be put into perspective.
The incident also highlighted frustration over the government’s designation of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist organization, as a prohibited hate group following a deadly mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. This decision has been met with protests during Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia in February.