Security around Mosques in Australia and New Zealand are beefed up amid Brenton Tarrant's judicial review hearing.
Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice is a religious festival for Muslims. (Picture Credit - Reuters)
Muslims in Australia and New Zealand fear they might be targeted by right-wing extremists on the auspicious month of Ramadan and security at Mosques around the country are tightened up amid Christchurch Mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant’s judicial hearing review, which is set for tomorrow on April 15, in Auckland.
Brisbane’s Holland Park Mosque leader Ali Kadri told ABC News that the Muslim community is worried they might be targeted while attending Ramadan prayers, saying the next attack against them is only a matter of time.
He revealed that worshipers endured racist slurs by people driving by, and many of them turned their car windows down yelling hate filled rants at worshipers.
Ali stated that Mosque-goers facing racist rants became “quite normal” after the Christchurch shooting and the minority community is worried that it might turn deadly if not stopped by the authorities.
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Brenton Tarrant’s Propaganda Flourishes Online
Two years after the horrific terror attack on two Mosques in Christchurch, Brenton Tarrant has become the face of the right-wing extremism in Australia and his propaganda is widely circulated online on Reddit and other social media platforms hailing him as a hero.
Also, memes against Muslims are being shared online depicting the face of Tarrant with a backdrop of Muslims adding the words ‘Just Do It’. Tarrant’s manifesto which was removed from social media two years back, are also doing the rounds through screenshots in the hope of finding a new lone wolf recruit.
Also, now that Tarrant has ditched lawyers and will represent himself tomorrow during the judicial hearing review, ring-wingers are expecting it to be a spectacle where he might launch a verbal offensive against the minority community and revoke his prison sentence.
Hate Crimes Against Muslims Skyrocket After Christchurch Shooting, Reveals Survey
A survey conducted in March, 2021 by the Charles Sturt University shows more than half of 75 Mosques across Australia faced targeted violence including arson, racist graffiti, physical assault of attendees, vandalism, verbal abuse and online abuse. Some Mosques also received hate mails and letters including death threats.
One Mosque had reported six incidents of racist abuse in a year alone and though the police thoroughly looked in to the matter, no action was taken and no arrests were made. In one instance, ”St. Tarrant” was spray painted on a Mosque in Brisbane hailing the killer for his actions and also included a swastika.
