Australia: future Islamic center burned, Muslim community denounces rise in Islamophobia

A suspicious fire ravaged a former religious building in Kilmore, north of Melbourne, Australia, on Tuesday, sparking outrage among Muslim organizations. The building, a 168-year-old listed church, was being transformed into an Islamic center. According to Victoria State Police, the fire, which started around 1:50 p.m. at the rear of the building, caused significant damage. Although no casualties have been reported, the authorities have confirmed that the fire is being treated as “suspicious”, without however establishing at this stage a link with other acts or a specific target.

But for the Islamic Council of Victoria, it is difficult to dissociate this incident from the current climate. The organization denounces a worrying increase in Islamophobic acts in the region, citing a recent increase in damage, threats and violence targeting Muslims and their places of worship. The president of the future Islamic center, Ekrem Fuldagli, said he was “devastated” and believed that the attack should be considered a hate crime. “This is not happening in a vacuum,” he said, pointing to the trivialization of speech hostile to Muslims, including in some political circles. More broadly, several religious leaders are warning of a climate of growing tension. At the beginning of March, a mosque in Melbourne was evacuated after receiving a suspicious package. A few days earlier, a Ramadan iftar in Ballarat was disrupted by an individual using racist insults and threatening participants, including children.

Even more serious threats have been reported, including messages suggesting a “Christchurch 2.0”, in reference to the 2019 terrorist attack in New Zealand. Faced with this escalation, Muslim representatives call on the authorities to act firmly and fully recognize the seriousness of these acts, in a context where Islamophobic incidents have sharply increased since October 2023, according to an official report.

This fire does not appear to be a simple isolated event. It comes in a context where acts targeting Muslims are increasing in Australia. The transformation of an old church into a mosque can also arouse tension among some, especially in a climate already marked by distrust and hostile speech. The more frequent these speeches become, the more they can encourage some to take action. For the Muslim community, this reinforces a feeling of insecurity and injustice. The challenge for the authorities is therefore twofold: to shed light on this fire, but also to reassure part of the population who feel increasingly targeted. Without a clear and strong response, there is a risk that these tensions will become lasting.