Guardian: Tony Abbott has been urged to speak out more strongly against Islamophobia in Australia following reports of mosques being defaced, women verbally abused on the street and death threats issued to Muslim figures.
Community leaders have said they are deeply worried that Australia’s mission against Islamic State (Isis) and recent anti-terrorism raids are fuelling attacks against Muslims in Australia.
Almir Colan, executive member of the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), told Guardian Australia that his organisation had met government ministers to call on them to change the language they use when talking about the Muslim community.
“We’ve told them they need to fire their speech writers,” he said. “In private they say they support us, but we don’t want to hear it in private, we want to hear it in public.
“We want the prime minister to lower the rhetoric and concentrate on responsible, productive language. If Tony Abbott used strong words, if he said that an attack on Muslims is an attack on all of us, that would isolate the bigots and reassure Muslims.”