Photo: Melbourne woman (centre) arrested for attacking two Muslim women, causing significant bruising.

The recent Islamophobic attacks in Melbourne, are not just isolated incidents; they are a reflection of a growing trend of anti-Muslim hostility in Australia, ignored by the mainstream media and downplayed by the political leadership.

On Thursday 13 February 2025, two Muslim women, visibly Muslim, wearing hijabs-one of whom was pregnant—were physically assaulted in separate but clearly connected attacks at Epping Plaza in broad daylight.

The violence they endured—being slapped, punched, thrown to the ground, and in one case choked—was nothing short of horrifying. Yet, the response from media and political leaders has been alarmingly muted.

The Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, has called on the Prime Minister and other leaders to take this issue seriously, noting that Islamophobic violence has intensified and disproportionately targets Muslim women.

“These latest assaults come off the back of recent violent Islamophobic attacks in other cities, including an alleged attempt to run over a prominent imam and an increase in Islamophobic graffiti in southwest Sydney,” Mr Malik said.

Dr Nora Amath, Executive Director of the Islamophobia Register said, “Hate and violence have no place in our society. No person should have to live in fear because of their religious identity. We urge the authorities to act swiftly and decisively to uphold justice and protect all Australians from targeted hatred and discrimination. We also demand that serious attention is provided to all incidents of Islamophobia.”

The Australian National Imams Council condemned the attacks, saying they represented a “horrifying escalation of Islamophobic violence targeted at innocent people in our communities simply because of their faith.”

AFIC President, Dr Rateb Jneid, expressed his grave concern over these incidents, stating, “These attacks are not isolated but indicative of a growing trend of Islamophobic violence that must be addressed immediately. The physical security of Australian Muslims is being threatened on an almost daily basis, yet the response from authorities and political leaders remains grossly insufficient.”

A pattern of violence, a pattern of neglect

Ealaf Al-Easawi, one of the victims, recounted her terrifying ordeal, describing how she was attacked without provocation. She suffered severe bruising and was left shaken and fearful for her safety.

The second victim, a pregnant woman, was attacked in a similar manner.

These acts of violence are not occurring in a vacuum. According to the Islamophobia Register Australia, reports of Islamophobic incidents have surged by 510% since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023.

And yet, these incidents barely register in national discourse unless Muslim communities themselves push for attention.

Where is the outrage?

The response to these attacks has been tepid at best. Victoria Police have acknowledged that the women were targeted due to their religious appearance and have classified the attacks as prejudice-motivated crimes.

However, beyond a standard police investigation, there has been no visible urgency from those in power.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s response was notably weak. In a brief statement to ABC News, he condemned the attacks but stopped short of issuing a direct, public statement across his platforms.

Contrast this with the swift and loud condemnation that followed anti-Semitic incidents over the summer. The federal government introduced specific measures, including AFP-led operations and legislative amendments, to combat rising antisemitism.

The discrepancy in responses is impossible to ignore. The selective outrage from both government and media when it comes to Islamophobic violence sends a clear message: Muslim lives are not afforded the same level of concern.

Media downplaying the crisis

Media coverage of the Epping attacks has also been disappointingly subdued. While the ABC and a few other outlets reported on the incident, it has not received the wall-to-wall coverage that other hate crimes have warranted in the past.

The same media that rushed to condemn two Sydney nurses for their comments about Israeli patients has failed to apply the same level of scrutiny and outrage to the actual, physical violence inflicted on Muslim women in Epping.

This double standard is not new. Studies and reports have consistently shown that Muslims are disproportionately depicted as perpetrators rather than victims in mainstream Australian media.

The lack of sustained coverage when Muslims are victims of hate crimes reinforces the perception that their suffering is less important.

The attacks on these two Muslim women should have been a watershed moment—a turning point where Australians collectively said, “Enough.” Instead, they are being brushed aside, their significance downplayed, their implications ignored.

Muslims in Australia are tired of the double standards, tired of leaders who speak in vague platitudes rather than taking concrete action, tired of a media landscape that only finds Muslims newsworthy when they are being vilified, not when they are being victimised.

Islamophobia is real and it is rising in Australia. Don’t forget the perpetrator of the Christchurch massacre of 51 Muslims on Friday 15 March 2019 was after all an Australian.