PM Albanese heckled during Eid visit to Sydney Mosque
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced jeers and heckling on Friday while attending Eid al-Fitr prayers at Sydney’s largest mosque in Lakemba, highlighting community tensions over the Government’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The disruption occurred about 15 minutes into Albanese’s visit, where he was joined by Tony Burke.
A small group of attendees stood and shouted slogans, including “boo Albanese,” “boo Tony Burke,” and “genocide supporters, get them out of here,” voicing anger at Canberra’s approach to recent Israeli military actions in Gaza. The protest reflected growing frustration among some Australian Muslim and Jewish communities. While the Albanese Government has publicly supported Israel’s right to self-defence, it has simultaneously urged a ceasefire and voiced concern for Palestinian civilians — a balancing act that has drawn criticism from multiple sides. One attendee shouted at the mosque’s speaker, “You called him honourable, he’s responsible for the deaths of a billion of our brothers and sisters,” while another added, “You don’t represent us anymore.” The protest began during a speech by Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir, who tried to calm the congregation, urging, “Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit… it is Eid. It is a joyful day.” Security personnel intervened, escorting one heckler from the premises, though a few continued shouting.
Many attendees, however, remained seated and welcomed the prime minister, reflecting mixed reactions within the mosque. Both Albanese and Burke stayed throughout the service.
Later, Albanese downplayed the incident, noting that more than 30,000 people attended the prayers. “Overwhelmingly, the reception was incredibly positive,” he told reporters, emphasizing that the disruption involved only a small fraction of the congregation and was swiftly managed.
The Lebanese Muslim Association defended the invitation, saying dialogue with political leaders is important even amid strong emotions. In a statement, the association acknowledged the distress caused by violence in Gaza and Lebanon but stressed the need for engagement with elected officials to voice community concerns.
The tensions were further heightened by the Government’s recent designation of Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir as a banned, following a mass shooting in Sydney last December.
