Ballarat's Muslim community "shaken up" after alleged hate-fuelled Iftar attack

A self-declared far-right individual reportedly invaded an Iftar dinner in Ballarat over the weekend, allegedly screaming racial slurs, terrifying children and attempting to attack Muslim attendees of the community event.

Just quickly: Iftar is the daily breaking of fast held at sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. 

🏠 Community centre interrupted: The ABC reports the attack began with threats to children attending the event, before the perpetrator entered the community centre to hurl verbal abuse and punches at attendees. 

• Some of the language used by the perpetrator, according to witnesses, included “f*** Allah, f*** Islam, death to Allah.” Members of the community restrained the man themselves before police arrived. The man was in his mid-30s and only partially clothed during the incident. 

🚔 Spoken to, moved on: Police arrived on scene around 9:25PM, where officers arrested the 37-year-old man, interviewed him and removed him from the premises.

Police said in a statement the man was directed not to return to the venue.

No charges were made, though police say they are collecting details to identify any further offences.

Police said their primary focus was to ensure the safety of attendees. Their handling of the incident has provoked outcry from some parts of the community.

🗣️ Disharmony: The attack comes during the Ballarat-wide Harmony Fest, advertised as a month-long celebration of cultural diversity and inclusion in the City of Ballarat. 

On Tuesday, Mayor Tracey Hargreaves released a statement condemning the attack.

• “We strongly condemn racial discrimination and intimidation and acknowledge how important it is for people of all cultures and religions to celebrate their traditions in a safe and friendly environment,” said Hargreaves.

• “Everyone in our community should feel safe, respected and valued.” 

❓ Locals want answers: On Wednesday, a petition began circulating calling for an investigation into the matter, shared by multiple individuals including former councillor Belinda Coates, who called the "extremely distressing" incident "utterly disgusting" in a Facebook post.

Community impact: Suzanne Ryan-Evers, CEO of the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, has been in touch with several victims of the attack. 

“The local Pakistani community is shaken up. They’re quite taken aback, and disappointed in the police reaction.” Ryan-Evers told the Brolga. 

• “The community wants assurance that leaders, the government, the police force and ourselves, are taking this seriously and people like this person are made accountable.”

• “On behalf of BRMC, we don’t tolerate racism or behavior like that. I would say 98 percent of the community in our region also don’t stand for racism. They don’t want it and they don’t want to see it. It’s gonna be a challenging year for us, I think.” 

The majority of the event’s attendees were local doctors. In the petition circulating, attendees stated “Many of us have dedicated years of our lives to serving the people of Ballarat through our work in the local health system. To experience such hostility in the community we proudly call home is profoundly distressing.”

Ex-policeman and Ballarat councillor Damon Saunders, who represents Alfredton where the attack occurred, would not comment directly and referred the Brolga to mayor Hargreaves’ statement.

🏛️ Social cohesion? Ballarat Federal Member Catherine King addressed the event in a public statement. 

• "Leaders and elected officials who care about social cohesion have a responsibility to tone down their rhetoric and call out behaviour like this. We must all do our bit to turn the temperature down." Ms. King said. Why should I care?”