Muslims In Australia Experienced Surge Of Hate After Christchurch Massacre, Report Reveals
A new report has revealed Muslim Australians have experienced a surge of hate following the Christchurch terror attacks.
The Islamophobia Register Australia (IRA), which offers a service that allows people to report any form of Anti-Muslim abuse, also found online attacks were 18 times higher two weeks after the massacre, where 51 people were killed.
There is also an increase in anti-Islam graffiti and vandalism, hate speech and threats to people and properties that intensified following the massacre.
One Muslim volunteer at an Australian art gallery even said a man said people 'like her' were 'killing' off white people.
She reported: "A man came around 1:45 pm. I stood and welcomed him. He asked 'are you a Muslim.'
"I replied with a smile 'yes.' He said 'you shouldn't be here.' I didn't understand what is he talking about, so I asked him politely 'excuse me.'
"He denied while moving his head, 'people like you are killing white people like me.'
"He continued while leaving 'You shouldn't be here in this country'."
The third report of its kind, Islamophobia in Australia III, was released by Charles Sturt University and the Islamic Science and Research Academy. It analysed 247 incidents of Islamophobia across 2018 and 2019.
It also found 138 reports of abuse occurred in person, while 109 were online.
But the report's lead researcher, Dr Derya Iner explained to The Guardian that these findings are just 'the tip of the iceberg'.
"We are not saying that this report represents everything in Australia, but this is a good sample to show manifestations of Islamophobia across Australia," she said.
Dr Iner added that when far-right groups associate Islamic people with acts of terrorism, it justifies Muslim hate crimes.
"I think this is the impact of online far-right groups," she said. "To bring people to that level of intense hate, you need to have a good excuse, and the best excuse is associating Muslims with terrorism and portraying them as killers."
She also expressed that many of these attacks occur in public places and that reports of discrimination in Australia are deeply rooted in complicit nature.
"Muslims are attacked, harassed, among people in crowds. There is not enough social pressure on perpetrators to deter them, to prevent them doing it," she said.
"Hate culture is accommodated by silence. Bystanders are around, but silent."
Charisa Bossinakis