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Police are investigating after a swastika and anti-Islam graffiti was spray-painted on a mosque in Brisbane’s north.
The swastika and the words “f**k Allah” and “No Muslims = peace” were written in black paint on the Bald Hills Mosque on Telegraph Road on Wednesday night.
Graffiti on the wall of a mosque in Bald Hills.Credit: Facebook
Local MP Bisma Asif, who posted a photo of the graffiti on social media, said everyone deserved to feel safe in their community as the country comes to grips with the Bondi terrorist attack.
“Frankly, I’m sick of the constant antisemitic, Islamophobic and racist incidents we’ve had in our community,” she wrote.
“Now more than ever, it is important we stand together against divisiveness.”
The Labor politician, who was the first Muslim elected to the Queensland parliament, urged the state government to pass racial vilification laws.
Premier David Crisafulli said his government would focus on stamping out antisemitism in an opinion piece for the News Corp media published this morning, promising “stronger legislation backed by real enforcement” and stronger bans on hate symbols.
“We must all understand, words became vandalism, vandalism became violence, violence became murder,” he wrote.
Australia’s only Muslim test cricketer, Usman Khawaja, also posted about the graffiti on social media, reposting Asif with the message: “Don’t let the haters divide us.”
Tensions have heightened around the country following the attack that killed 15 people in Sydney on Sunday.
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On Thursday, internal Queensland police communications about a potential attack on a shopping centre also in Brisbane’s north were leaked to the public and quickly spread online.
A QPS spokesperson said the service received an anonymous tip about a potential attack the North Lakes Westfield earlier this week, warning people to stay away from the shops on Friday.
“Following extensive investigations, there has been no further information received to substantiate any direct threat or risk to community safety,” they said.
There would be an increased police presence at the centre on Friday as a precautionary measure, they said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the mosque vandalism to contact Policelink on 131 444.
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