Full story
Mosque Protest Incident
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced intense heckling and protest during a visit to Lakemba Mosque in Sydney on March 20, 2026, as he marked Eid al-Fitr with worshippers.
“Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled and asked to 'get out' during a visit to a mosque in Sydney on Friday. The incident took place when Albanese, along with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, visited the Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney to mark Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. About 15 minutes after they joined the gathering, a group of protesters began shouting slogans and interrupting the event.”
The incident occurred approximately 15 minutes after Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke joined the gathering at Australia's largest mosque, where demonstrators began shouting slogans and interrupting the proceedings.
Video footage captured the chaotic scene showing protesters booing the leaders, yelling 'Get out!' and calling them 'genocide supporters' in reference to Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza.
Security guards were seen tackling at least one heckler to the ground before escorting him away, while other protesters continued the disruption as the politicians exited the venue, shouting 'Shame on you!' according to multiple eyewitness accounts and video evidence.
Political Context
The protest reflected deep community divisions over the Albanese government's handling of the Gaza genocide, with the center-left administration attempting to walk a political tightrope between competing demands.
The government has expressed concern for Palestinian civilians and repeatedly called for a ceasefire, while simultaneously supporting Israel's right to self-defense in response to Hamas attacks.
This balancing approach has drawn criticism from both Muslim and Jewish communities, with some accusing the government of not doing enough to support Palestinians, while others question its overall stance on the conflict.
The demonstrators' chants of 'genocide supporters' directly referenced Israel's killing of Palestinians in Gaza, following the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the ongoing violence and international condemnation.
Community Reactions
The disruption at Lakemba Mosque highlighted the broader tensions within Australia's Muslim community, which has been deeply affected by the ongoing Gaza genocide and its international implications.
“'Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit,' one of the organisers told the crowd, urging people to sit down and stop filming the exchange. 'It is Eid. It is a joyful day.'”
Community leaders attempted to maintain order during the incident, with one organizer pleading 'Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit' and reminding the crowd that 'It is Eid. It is a joyful day.'
Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir addressed the congregation after prayers, emphasizing that political visits should not be mere photo opportunities but opportunities to 'call him out and to say to him vividly what is happening to this community, and the pressure that it's under cannot be sustained anymore.'
The timing of the protest during Eid al-Fitr, one of the most significant religious occasions for Muslims, underscored the depth of feeling within the community regarding the government's diplomatic stance toward its ally Israel.
Government Response
In response to the incident, Albanese characterized the visit as 'incredibly positive' and attempted to minimize the significance of the protest, stating that 'if you got a couple of people heckling in a crowd of 30,000, that should be put in that perspective.'
He suggested that some of the frustration stemmed from his government's recent decision to designate the Islamist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir as a prohibited hate group, a move made under legislation prompted by the deadly Bondi Beach mass shooting in December 2023.
The Albanese government has faced criticism from multiple directions following the Bondi attack, which killed 15 people at a Jewish communal event, with Australia's Jewish community feeling the government 'abandoned' them by ignoring clear warning signs and antisemitic attacks in the lead-up to the massacre.
At the same time, the government's decision to join the UK and Canada in recognizing a Palestinian state late last year has drawn criticism from those who support Israel's position.
Broader Context
The Lakemba Mosque protest was not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of growing tensions in Australia over the Gaza genocide and related security issues.
“Similar protests were seen earlier this year when Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Australia, with large demonstrations and several arrests reported in Sydney.”
Similar protests occurred in February when Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Australia at Albanese's invitation to express solidarity with Jewish Australians following the Bondi attack.
Thousands attended a rally in Sydney during that visit, where 27 demonstrators were arrested after clashes with police.
The incident at Lakemba Mosque also comes amid rising reports of both antisemitism and Islamophobia in Australia since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, with the country's Jewish community being among the hardest hit globally.
The timing of the protest during Ramadan's culmination and Eid celebrations, when mosques across Australia were expecting massive attendance with some Melbourne mosques anticipating 15,000-18,000 worshippers per session, further emphasized the deep community divisions that have emerged during the ongoing conflict.