Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke heckled at Lakemba Mosque Eid event
Consensus Summary
Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke faced violent protests at Lakemba Mosque during Eid prayers on 10 April 2024, with a small group of worshippers shouting 'genocide supporters' and demanding their removal. The incident unfolded after Gamel Kheir, secretary of the Lebanese Muslim Association, delivered a statement criticizing Australiaâs Middle East policy, while Albanese and Burke remained seated at the front. Police removed a 33-year-old heckler, and the prime minister escaped via a back door amid chaotic scenes. The Lebanese Muslim Association defended inviting the politicians, arguing engagement with government strengthens community advocacy, despite widespread anger over Australiaâs support for Israel. Israelâs strikes in Lebanon had killed over 900 people and displaced millions, heightening tensions. While all sources agree on the core event, details vary on the severity of the altercation, the number of hecklers, and the exact sequence of events, with some sources emphasizing police intervention and others highlighting protests outside the mosque.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke attended Eid prayers at Lakemba Mosque in Sydney on 10 April 2024 to mark the end of Ramadan
- Protesters at the mosque shouted phrases including 'genocide supporters,' 'shame,' 'disgrace,' and 'get them out of here' during the event
- A 33-year-old man was removed from the mosque by police after being identified as a heckler; he was given a move-on direction and released without charge
- Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir delivered a statement defending the invitation of Albanese and Burke, arguing engagement with government strengthens community advocacy
- Israelâs strikes in Lebanon had killed at least 912 people (including 111 children) and wounded 2,221 others as of the event date, per Lebanese health ministry
- Albanese and Burke were seated at the front of the mosque while Kheir read a statement criticizing Australiaâs involvement in the Middle East war
- The Australian government announced it would send a surveillance aircraft and air-to-air missiles to the UAE to protect Australians amid regional tensions
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- One man who booed Albanese was led out by police and released without charge after being given a move-on direction
- The Lebanese Muslim Association stated its position on Gaza and Lebanon remains 'clear and unchanged' and that engaging with government strengthens advocacy
- Albanese made a 'hasty exit' avoiding a large crowd waiting for him on the mosqueâs steps
- The association defended its decision to host Albanese, saying his attendance was not a 'betrayal' of its position on Gaza and Lebanon
- Initial plans included Albanese giving a speech, but organisers demanded he only attend and listen
- A 29-year-old protester named Ibrahim Seklaoui shouted 'He wants to come here after shaking hands with the president of Israel, whoâs got blood on his hands'
- Albanese was chased by protesters after escaping via a back door, with some yelling 'Alba-tizi' (a play on his name)
- Kheir was saying 'We must engage and have frank and open dialogue with our political leaders' when the crowd began pushing and shoving
- Albanese later played down the incident, stating 'overwhelmingly the reception was incredibly positive' and 'not a single person heckled' outside the mosque
- A video showed a man identified as Stand4Palestine activist Mukhlis Mah being 'thrown out' by LMA staff and police, with claims he was 'thrown down the stairs'
- Palestinian-Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah shared a post calling Albanese and Burkeâs invitation a 'reward for supporting the genocide' and accused the LMA of 'having the blood of Palestinians on their hands'
- Kheir noted the LMA had previously 'actively disengaged' from government contact due to Israelâs actions in Gaza but found this ineffective
- NSW Police confirmed a 33-year-old man was removed from the premises and issued a move-on direction
- Kheir argued the communityâs 'zero impact on the federal election process or framing of policy' justified engagement with politicians
- The event was described as 'chaotic scenes' with a 'small number of attendees calling for the politicians to be removed'
- A heckler shouted 'You called him honourable, he's responsible for the deaths of 1 billion people, 1 billion of our brothers and sisters'
- Albanese and Burke remained until the end of the speech before being 'led out of the building'
- The ABC referenced similar protests during Eid last year, including Jason Wood being escorted out of an event in Melbourne
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian and SMH report protesters shouted 'genocide supporters,' but the ABC only reports 'genocide supporters' as a shout from one source without explicit confirmation from multiple sources
- The Guardian states Albanese made a 'hasty exit' avoiding a crowd on the mosqueâs steps, while the SMH describes Albanese being 'chased by protesters' after escaping via a back door
- The SMH claims Albanese was initially supposed to give a speech but organisers changed their mind, while the Guardian and ABC do not mention this detail
- Newscomaau reports a man named Mukhlis Mah was 'thrown out' and 'thrown down the stairs' by LMA staff and police, but NSW Police only state he was removed and issued a move-on direction without mentioning physical force
- The SMH quotes Albanese saying 'not a single person heckled' outside the mosque, while the Guardian and ABC describe protesters waiting for him on the steps or outside the building
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