Albanese Heckled at Sydney Mosque During Eid Prayers

By Blessing Nweke

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled during an Eid al-Fitr gathering at Lakemba Mosque, highlighting tensions within the country’s Muslim community over the government’s stance on the Gaza conflict.

Albanese, accompanied by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, attended Friday morning prayers at one of Australia’s largest mosques following an invitation from community leaders. However, the visit was disrupted as several attendees shouted “genocide supporters,” “boo,” and “get out,” during a speech urging stronger engagement with Muslim Australians.

Police removed one protester who had been shouting at the prime minister, though he was later released without charge. As Albanese exited through the crowd, some continued jeering, with one person questioning his presence at the event.

The Lebanese Muslim Association, which operates the mosque, later issued a statement affirming that Albanese had been welcome and defending the decision to host political leaders. It acknowledged heightened emotions over the wars in Gaza and Lebanon but stressed that engagement with elected officials is essential for advocacy.

Albanese downplayed the disruption, saying most of the estimated 30,000 attendees were supportive. He suggested the backlash may be linked to recent government actions, including moves to ban Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group accused of extremist views.

Community tensions in Australia have escalated since the October 7 attacks, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Rising reports of both Islamophobia and antisemitism have further strained relations.

Friday’s incident underscores ongoing debate over the role of politics in religious spaces, with similar disruptions occurring at past Eid events involving political figures.