Australian mosque protesters heckle PM Albanese over Israel stance
SYDNEY, March 20 (Reuters) - Protesters heckled and booed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday during a visit to Australia's largest mosque for Eid al-Fitr prayers, voicing anger over his stance on ally Israel's offensive in Gaza.
Some in Australia's Muslim and Jewish communities are angry over a fine line walked by the centre-left government since the Gaza war began, expressing concern for Palestinians, repeatedly urging a ceasefire, and backing Israel's right to self-defence.
Video images showed protesters interrupting proceedings about 15 minutes after Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke joined worshippers at Lakemba Mosque in western Sydney to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Demonstrators booed, told Albanese and Burke to "Get out!" and called them "genocide supporters", referring to Israel's killing of Palestinians in Gaza, following an attack by Hamas militants in 2023.
"Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit," one of the organisers told the crowd, urging people to sit down and stop filming the incident. "It is Eid. It is a joyful day."
Security guards were seen tackling one heckler to the ground before escorting him away.
Albanese and Burke left shortly afterwards, followed by heckling protesters who yelled, "Shame on you!"
Protesters also turned out in large numbers when Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited last month at Albanese's invitation after the deadly Bondi mass shooting on December 14 that targeted the Jewish community.
Thousands attended a rally in Sydney, where 27 people were arrested after clashes with police.
(Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
