Australian prime minister heckled at mosque, called ‘putrid dog’ by protestors
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was chased out of the country’s largest mosque on Friday as Muslims there expressed anger over his stance on Israel’s war against Hamas.
Albanese was called several names, including a “putrid dog” and a “supporter of genocide” in reference to the deaths of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, the Telegraph reported.
Video footage showed the Prime Minister alongside Tony Burke, the Home Affairs Minister, at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney as the community celebrated Eid, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves the Lakemba Mosque after a visit for Eid al-Fitr in Sydney, Australia, March 20, 2026.
(Getty Images)
“Why is he here? Get him out of here!” some shouted.
Albanese and his left-wing Labor government have been criticized for supporting a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s right to defend itself.
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During the commotion, Gamel Kheir, the mosque’s secretary, pleaded for calm.
“Respect where you are,” he said. “We must engage and have a frank and open dialogue with our political leaders and not hide or withdraw.”
“You called him honorable. He is responsible for the deaths of a million people, a million of our brothers and sisters,” one person reportedly shouted.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled out of a mosque in Sydney during a visit on Friday.
Albanese was taken to an office inside the mosque by security before being taken out of the building and into his motorcade.
As he left, shouts of “shame on you” and the insult “Alba-tizi”, a derogatory Arabic play on his last name, referring to buttocks, were shouted.
“He wants to come here after shaking hands with the Israeli president, who has blood on his hands,” said one person interviewed by the prime minister. “Coming here and acting like nothing happened is a shame.”
Albanese posted photos on X showing him smiling and shaking hands with attendees.
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“Overall the reception has been incredibly positive,” he told reporters about his visit. “I walked through the crowd to the mosque, and not a single person heckled. There were a few hecklers inside. They were subdued.
“Contrary to what has been suggested, no one was rushed,” he added. “We just sat there. … The community itself took care of it because they didn’t want this to happen.”
Original article source: Australian Prime Minister heckled in mosque, called “putrid dog” by protesters
