A 31-year-old woman from Pascoe Vale has been charged after allegedly attacking two Muslim women at a shopping centre in Melbourne’s north. The incidents, which took place on February 13 at Pacific Epping shopping complex, are being treated as hate-motivated assaults.
According to police reports, the accused first targeted a 30-year-old pregnant woman at a café, grabbing her hijab and choking her. Around 10 minutes later, she allegedly assaulted a second victim, 26-year-old Ealaf Al-Easawi, by slapping her and pushing her to the ground. Both victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, with Al-Easawi reporting bruises, body aches, and severe trauma.
Authorities arrested the suspect and charged her with multiple offenses, including intentionally and recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault, and aggravated assault. She is set to appear in Heidelberg Magistrates Court.
Victim Speaks Out
Al-Easawi, who was grocery shopping at the time of the alleged attack, described her ongoing distress, stating that she is now too afraid to leave her home. “The scene won’t come out of my head. It keeps repeating itself in my mind,” she told local media. The second victim, a mother-of-two, similarly expressed shock and fear, emphasizing that she was attacked “in her own country” despite being an Australian citizen. Melbourne police are also investigating reports of online threats against one of the victims following the incident.
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Government Response
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the alleged assault, calling it “reprehensible” and reaffirming that any attack based on religion must be taken seriously. “I take all attacks on people on the basis of their faith seriously, and they should all face the full force of the law,” he stated.
His response follows criticism from some Muslim Australians, including cricket star Usman Khawaja, who accused the government of not acting swiftly enough to address Islamophobic incidents. Khawaja initially claimed that such attacks were often ignored but later acknowledged the statements made by Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton, who called the assaults a “disgrace.”
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils also raised concerns over rising Islamophobia, with its president, Rateb Jneid, describing the government’s response as “grossly insufficient.” Australia’s special envoy on Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, urged political leaders to take a stronger stance against all forms of hate.
Hate Crime Laws and Broader Context
The attacks occurred just weeks after Australia passed stringent new laws against hate crimes, which include mandatory jail terms of up to six years for the use of hate symbols, such as the Nazi salute. The legislation was introduced amid growing concerns over antisemitic attacks, including an incident in Sydney where police discovered a caravan containing explosives and an antisemitic note.
While the government has been vocal in addressing antisemitic hate crimes, some Muslim advocacy groups argue that Islamophobic attacks have not received the same level of attention.
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Advocacy groups have reported an increase in both Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents across Australia since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, triggering the war in Gaza. The Melbourne attack has further fueled concerns about religiously motivated violence and discrimination.