Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled by Muslim worshippers during a visit to Lakemba Mosque in Sydney for Eid prayers on Friday morning.
Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who also serves as minister for immigration and citizenship, were invited to the celebration marking the end of Ramadan by the Lebanese Muslim Association.
An attendee accused the pair of “supporting genocide,” as others repeatedly shouted “Boo” and “Get out of here,” the BBC reported.
A man was seen on video tackled to the ground by a security guard and escorted outside, after which he was released without charge, the Australian Associated Press reported.
“We understand that emotions are high, particularly given the ongoing suffering in Gaza and the devastation in Lebanon,” the Lebanese Muslim Association said later in a statement, per the BBC.
“These are not distant issues for our community. But we also need to be clear. Choosing to engage with the elected leadership of this country is not a betrayal of those concerns. It is how we give them a voice,” the association added.
After the event, Albanese described the mosque atmosphere as “incredibly positive,” adding that “if you got a couple of people heckling in a crowd of 30,000, that should be put in that perspective,” according to Sky News.
Fears within the Jewish community have risen in Australia since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which culminated in the Bondi Beach mass shooting attack by a Muslim father and son at a Chanukah candle lighting event on Dec. 14, 2025, claiming 15 lives.
While Jewish groups have criticized the Australian government for doing too little to guarantee their safety, the Muslim community has also expressed its dissatisfaction after the outlawing of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group that calls for a single Islamic government across the Muslim world and to implement Sharia law globally.
