Australian police are investigating an act of vandalism after hate symbols, including a swastika, were spray-painted on the walls of a mosque in Brisbane, an incident caught on CCTV that has drawn strong condemnation and renewed calls for unity against racism and religious hatred.
Security footage showed a masked individual approaching the Bald Hills Mosque late Wednesday night and defacing the building before fleeing. Worshippers arriving the following morning were confronted with the graffiti, which community leaders described as distressing but not representative of Australian values.
Local Muslim leaders condemned the attack while urging calm and dialogue. Members of the mosque stressed that responding to hatred with solidarity and understanding was the only way forward, with one congregant publicly inviting the perpetrator to engage in conversation instead of violence.
Queensland Police said patrols were stepped up in the area following the incident, and a mobile police unit was deployed during a mosque gathering. Detective Inspector Chris Toohey said Australia’s multicultural society leaves no room for threats or persecution based on religion or culture.
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja shared images of the vandalism on social media, calling on people not to allow hatred to divide communities. Sandgate MP Bisma Asif also condemned the act, urging Australians to stand together and reject all forms of racism and discrimination, particularly during times of grief.
In a separate but related development underscoring growing community concerns, seven men arrested during a large-scale police operation in Sydney’s southwest were released without charge a day later and have announced plans to take legal action against New South Wales Police.
Their lawyer, Ahmed Dibb, said the men, the youngest aged 18, believe they were unfairly targeted and intend to seek damages, not only for vehicles damaged during the arrests but also to challenge what they describe as discriminatory policing practices. He said the group hopes the case will set a precedent to prevent similar treatment of others in the future.
Police have since covered the graffiti at the Brisbane mosque and are urging anyone with information about the vandalism to come forward as investigations continue.
