[ad_1] Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called on Australians to stand against Islamophobia after two suspected arson attacks hit two mosques in Sout
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called on Australians to stand against Islamophobia after two suspected arson attacks hit two mosques in South Australia over the past week.
The most recent incident occurred at 2am on Monday when a gas cylinder was set on fire outside the Al-Khalil Mosque in Adelaide’s north.
The Islamic Society of South Australia confirmed the incident and said it had been reported to the police.
“Such actions are entirely unacceptable and we are aware that the wider community strongly condemns these cowardly acts,” the society said.
The Islamic representative body said an earlier attack hit the Marion Mosque on October 19 when two grass fires were lit on Condada Avenue, which runs alongside the house of worship.
No one was injured in either incident.
A South Australian police spokesman confirmed the police were investigating the two fires.
“Police are investigating the fires but do not believe that the fires are linked and do not believe that they are racially motivated at this time,” the spokesman said.
It is believed the grass fires at Marion were deliberately lit.
Senator Wong, in a Twitter post on Tuesday evening, said she was “appalled” by the reports of the alleged arson attacks.
“All of us, including every political leader, must stand together against Islamophobia,” she said.
“We all have a responsibility to call out discrimination, hate speech and prejudice wherever we see it.”
Tensions have flared across Australia in response to the escalating violence in Israel and Palestine following terror group Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians on October 7.
Some pro-Palestine protests held in the wake of the war have been marred by anti-Semitic chants.
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