Daily London
A vile act has been captured on CCTV with a vandal spray painting banned symbols of hate on the walls of a Brisbane mosque.
The vision shows a masked figure running towards the Bald Hills Mosque and committing the graffiti late on Wednesday night.
A swastika was among the ugly messages and slogans worshipers were confronted with yesterday morning.
“We condemn all forms of violence, racism, and hatred just as we condemn the recent acts of terror,” Iman Salik said.
Members shared their disappointment as they left the mosque this afternoon.
“The evil that exists around us purely to spread division and it breeds more hate and the only answer is love,” mosque member Greg McIntosh said.
One mosque member extended an olive branch to the vandal today.
“Mate come out, ask questions, let’s hang out, kebabs on me,” Khaled Akbery said.
Following the vandalism, police have increased patrols of the area and a mobile police van was set up at a mosque gathering today.
“Queensland and Australia is a multicultural society, and there is no tolerance for any threats or persecution on any culture or religion,” Queensland Police detective inspector Chris Toohey said.
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja shared the vandalism on Instagram, with a message for his followers.
“Don’t let the haters divide us,” he wrote.
Sandgate MP Bisma Asif also condemned the act of hate.
“This comes on the back of 15 innocent people who have lost their lives, at the hands of extremists,” she said.
“There is no room for this kind of division or hatred in our community.
“My message to our local community is we must stand together at these times of grief.
“A lot of people are hurting right now.
“We need to come together rather than tear each other apart, and there is no room for racism, racial vilification, or any forms of discrimination.”
Boards have since been secured over the graffiti.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has relevant information is asked to contact police.
