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| Brisbane Muslim prayer centre vandalised with abusive graffiti | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Vandals have attacked a home being used as an Islamic prayer centre in Brisbane, leaving abusive anti-Muslim graffiti, in what police have called a “brainless crime”. | Vandals have attacked a home being used as an Islamic prayer centre in Brisbane, leaving abusive anti-Muslim graffiti, in what police have called a “brainless crime”. |
| Police were called to the home in Rocklea on Wednesday night after members discovered the walls of some temporary buildings had been spraypainted with the words “evil” and “die”, as well as “Muslims are evil and have no respect for our ways”, and “get the fuck out of our country”. | Police were called to the home in Rocklea on Wednesday night after members discovered the walls of some temporary buildings had been spraypainted with the words “evil” and “die”, as well as “Muslims are evil and have no respect for our ways”, and “get the fuck out of our country”. |
| President of the Indonesian Islamic Centre, Hamid Marwadi, told Guardian Australia this was the first time they had been targeted. | President of the Indonesian Islamic Centre, Hamid Marwadi, told Guardian Australia this was the first time they had been targeted. |
| “That’s why we are shocked to come and see the graffiti,” he said. Marwadi said he thought it was prompted by recent police operations and statements from politicians “encouraging the tough laws on terrorism”. | “That’s why we are shocked to come and see the graffiti,” he said. Marwadi said he thought it was prompted by recent police operations and statements from politicians “encouraging the tough laws on terrorism”. |
| “I believe politicians shouldn’t say Islamic terrorists because Islam is not terrorism,” he said. | “I believe politicians shouldn’t say Islamic terrorists because Islam is not terrorism,” he said. |
| Christian crosses were also painted on the walls of the buildings, erected while the owner waits for development approval to construct an Islamic educational centre. In the meantime it is a place of worship for daily prayers. | Christian crosses were also painted on the walls of the buildings, erected while the owner waits for development approval to construct an Islamic educational centre. In the meantime it is a place of worship for daily prayers. |
| “Hopefully the issue will be cooled down a little bit later on,” Marwadi said. | “Hopefully the issue will be cooled down a little bit later on,” Marwadi said. |
| Queensland police said in a statement it was believed that the slogans were painted between 8.30pm on Tuesday and 3.30pm on Wednesday. | Queensland police said in a statement it was believed that the slogans were painted between 8.30pm on Tuesday and 3.30pm on Wednesday. |
| Inspector Rod Graham told ABC news the site was surrounded by security cameras and the offenders left a large amount of evidence. | Inspector Rod Graham told ABC news the site was surrounded by security cameras and the offenders left a large amount of evidence. |
| “We are optimistic of determining who actually committed this brainless crime,” he said. “We are certainly not talking about criminal masterminds here. There was a number of pieces of evidence that were located in the near vicinity – fingerprints and touch DNA are certainly going to shed some light.” | “We are optimistic of determining who actually committed this brainless crime,” he said. “We are certainly not talking about criminal masterminds here. There was a number of pieces of evidence that were located in the near vicinity – fingerprints and touch DNA are certainly going to shed some light.” |
| Springfield resident Marti Dobson told Guardian Australia he had volunteered to help clean up once police had cleared the scene. | Springfield resident Marti Dobson told Guardian Australia he had volunteered to help clean up once police had cleared the scene. |
| “I’ve been seeing a lot of the anger and resentment towards the Muslim community and I’m sick of what I call the ugly Australia comments coming out of everywhere,” he said. | “I’ve been seeing a lot of the anger and resentment towards the Muslim community and I’m sick of what I call the ugly Australia comments coming out of everywhere,” he said. |
| “I just want to try and hit the balance and make sure they know there are Australians standing with them. It’s really important to me that everyone feels welcome.” | “I just want to try and hit the balance and make sure they know there are Australians standing with them. It’s really important to me that everyone feels welcome.” |
| The incident was the second defacing of a Muslim place of worship in Queensland in less than a week. | The incident was the second defacing of a Muslim place of worship in Queensland in less than a week. |
| Vandals spray-painted the word “evil” across a mosque in Mareeba in north Queensland on Friday. | Vandals spray-painted the word “evil” across a mosque in Mareeba in north Queensland on Friday. |
| Mayor Tom Gilmore said the mosque had been part of the area since the 1950s and the Muslim members were a “highly respected” part of the community. | Mayor Tom Gilmore said the mosque had been part of the area since the 1950s and the Muslim members were a “highly respected” part of the community. |
| The attack on the mosque did not reflect the attitudes of the wider community, he said. | The attack on the mosque did not reflect the attitudes of the wider community, he said. |