Australian PM forced to leave mosque over his support for war in Iran
At Sydney's largest mosque, Australia's Prime Minister was heckled and booed over his stance on ally Israel's offensive in Gaza, after which he left the event early.
On March 20, 2026, Australia's Prime Minister left a Sydney mosque early during prayers for the Eid al-Fitr celebration after protests from those present, reports Reuters.
The incident occurred at the country's largest mosque shortly after the event began. According to sources, some of those gathered began booing the politician and shouting slogans, expressing dissatisfaction with his position on the Middle East conflict and support for Israel.
Video recordings show that the protest began approximately 15 minutes after the visit started. The protesters demanded that the Prime Minister leave the mosque and accused him of supporting Israel's actions in Gaza and Iran. Event organizers called for calm among those present, reminding them of the festive nature of the day. During the incident, security intervened and removed one of the protesters.
Against the backdrop of this incident, rising tensions in Australian society are noted. Earlier, authorities banned the Islamist organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir," citing the threat of inciting hatred following the December 2025 attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, where people were killed during holiday events.
Additional discontent was also caused by recent events, including the Israeli President's visit to Australia, which was accompanied by protests. The government, meanwhile, states that it strives to maintain balance, simultaneously supporting Israel's right to self-defense while calling for a ceasefire.
Despite what occurred, the head of government stated that overall the event took place in a positive atmosphere, emphasizing that the protesters comprised only a small portion of the total number of attendees.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Iraq's Shia leader called for holy war for Iran.