Usman Khawaja hits out at media organisations after a Muslim woman was left 'scared to leave her home' following an alleged shopping centre attack
Australian cricket star Usman Khawaja has hit out at media organisations for a double standard on social media after two Muslim women wearing hijabs were attacked at a shopping centre in north Melbourne last Thursday.Victoria Police said that a 30-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman were allegedly attacked by the same individual at the Pacific Epping Shopping Centre in two separate incidents. Police investigations are ongoing.'There is absolutely no place in our society for discriminatory, racist or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated,' a police spokesperson said. 'Investigators believe that the victims were targeted due to the women wearing head coverings and are treating the incidents as prejudice-motivated attacks,' the statement added.No charges have been made by police over the alleged incident. Investigators are analysing CCTV as they look to identify the woman who is understood to have left the scene with a man, following the alleged attacks.Ms Al-Esawie, 26, is said to have been confronted by an attacker and was 'absolutely floored' while she made her way through the shopping centre during her lunch break, according to Action Against Islamaphobia case manager, Mariam Ardati. Usman Khawaja has criticised media organisations following an alleged attack on two Muslim women in Melbourne Khawaja claimed that 'the media has never treated attacks against the Islamic community or any other community the same as anti-Semitic attacks' The alleged incident is said to have taken place at the Pacific Epping Shopping Centre last weekThe organisation claims that Al-Esawie was allegedly 'punched, slapped and pushed to the ground'. She was left with bruises all over her body and a potential back injury.Ardati also alleges that officers failed to give her an incident number or follow up with the victim in the aftermath of the attack. She claims the victim had not heard from police by Saturday.It is understood that Victorian Police requested Ms Al-Esawie deliver a statement in person on Tuesday afternoon.Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the 'evil attacks on two young Muslim women are just horrific.''This sort of evil, evil, evil hatred - in this instance, Islamophobia - has absolutely no place in our community.'Noting the report, which was published on Tuesday morning, Khawaja took to Facebook and X to criticise the media, hitting out at media organisations over their reporting of the matter.'The media has never treated attacks against the Islamic community or any other community the same as anti-Semitic attacks. They are all deplorable,' he wrote on Facebook.'But there is no way that anti-Semitism is any less or more than Islamaphobia and vice versa,' the 38-year-old continued.'They both deserve the same weight as they are both relevant. But the media will never treat them the same. Khawaja also published multiple posts on X where he noted that there had been a 500 per cent increase in the number of Islamophobic incidents being reported Jacinta Allan blasted the attacks on the two women as 'evil' claiming that it has 'no place in our community''And as a result, people will always think that one is more prevalent than the other. But that is not true.'The Aussie Test opener noted reports that had emerged online detailing the incident and wrote on X: 'Last Thursday this happened.'Absolutely atrocious. No one has mentioned it or talked about it.'It will be swept under the rug like all attacks against the Islamic community. The Prime Minister and definitely not the Opposition leader will mention it. It's amazing how 1 sided the world is.'He followed that with multiple other posts on X, writing: 'Let's get things straight. What the nurses said was also atrocious. But look at the media coverage that got. Then an actual attack happens. And nothing. It happened four days ago.'Action Against Islamophobia is a community-led initiative that provide members of the Muslim community with support to take action against Islamophobic incidents. They help those who have been subjected to prejudice seek justice and look to raise awareness of the effects that discrimination can have.It is understood Ardati came across Al-Esawie's story on social media. She had tried to inform and warn other members of her community about her alleged attacker but is understood to have been threatened online.'She went home and she didn’t feel safe to leave her house alone. She made the post in good faith,' Ardati said.She added: 'Muslim community members are shocked but not surprised by the attacks.'For many months, Islamophobic incidents and hate crimes against Muslims have been on the rise but little has been done to address it and most have not received any media attention.'More real action needs to be taken before someone gets killed, or we see another Christchurch massacre right on our doorstep.'According to the Islamophobia Register of Australia, there has been a 510 per cent increase in Islamophobic incidents being reported since the Israel-Gaza war.Khawaja noted the statistics, writing on X: 'Over 500 per cent in Islamophobic incidents reported. Where is the justice? It's not just anti-Semitic attacks that are on the rise.'Rather than have an exclusive anti-Semitic summit how about we stop picking sides and include Islamophobia to the register and give it the weight it deserves.'Federal MP Julian Hill noted the rise in Islamophobic incidents, writing on X: 'Muslim Australians have every right to feel safe and included while going about their business in the community. Anyone who experiences Islamophobic or any racist incidents should not stay silent but report and seek help.'
