Australian PM forced to leave mosque over his support for war in Iran

Prime Minister of Australia at the Eid al-Fitr celebration in a mosque. Photo: Reuters
On March 20, 2026, Australia's Prime Minister left a Sydney mosque early during prayers for the Eid al-Fitr celebration after protests from those present, reports Reuters.
The incident occurred at the country's largest mosque shortly after the event began. According to sources, some of those gathered began booing the politician and shouting slogans, expressing dissatisfaction with his position on the Middle East conflict and support for Israel.
Video recordings show that the protest began approximately 15 minutes after the visit started. The protesters demanded that the Prime Minister leave the mosque and accused him of supporting Israel's actions in Gaza and Iran. Event organizers called for calm among those present, reminding them of the festive nature of the day. During the incident, security intervened and removed one of the protesters.
Against the backdrop of this incident, rising tensions in Australian society are noted. Earlier, authorities banned the Islamist organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir," citing the threat of inciting hatred following the December 2025 attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, where people were killed during holiday events.
Additional discontent was also caused by recent events, including the Israeli President's visit to Australia, which was accompanied by protests. The government, meanwhile, states that it strives to maintain balance, simultaneously supporting Israel's right to self-defense while calling for a ceasefire.
Despite what occurred, the head of government stated that overall the event took place in a positive atmosphere, emphasizing that the protesters comprised only a small portion of the total number of attendees.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Iraq's Shia leader called for holy war for Iran.
Read also
Court upholds UOC parish appeal in Voloshky over OCU switch dispute
The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC in the village of Voloshky, Volyn region, in a dispute over a transfer to the OCU.
Zelensky says 9.5M Ukrainians expected to return home from abroad
Zelensky stated that 9.5 million Ukrainians who left abroad are expected to return home to rebuild the country.
German theologian criticizes Ukrainian authorities' pressure on UOC
German theologian Regina Elsner has said that pressure from the authorities on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church places an additional heavy burden on believers during the war.
Poland bans entry to Lviv official over SS Galicia and UPA glorification
Polish Foreign Minister initiates entry ban on Lviv Regional Council deputy who proposed declaring 2027 the Year of the UPA.
OCU award winners stage provocations at UOC court hearings, media report
Rallies outside courts hearing UOC cases are organized by activists who received awards from Dumenko.
Khust Eparchy priest who shot people in Vyshkovo banned from ministry
The Khust Eparchy of the UOC has notified police that it has banned from ministry a priest suspected of killing three people in Vyshkovo, Transcarpathia.