The and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Australia are among many organisations of people of faith that have condemned efforts to weaponise the tragic stabbings on April 13 at Westfield shopping Centre in Bondi.
A mentally unwell man went on the attack at Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre, killing six people and injuring at least 12. Several people tried to stop him, including a security guard, before he was shot dead by a NSW Police officer.
JCA said expressed its condolences to the victims鈥 families, saying it was concerned at the 鈥渢roubling narratives鈥 and 鈥渞hetoric鈥 coming from mainstream media and 鈥渟ome notorious antisemites and fascists鈥.
鈥淔ollowing the attack, Channel 7 irresponsibly repeated false information spread by antisemitic accounts on social media that the attacker鈥檚 name was 鈥楤enjamin Cohen鈥.
鈥淩ight-wing Islamophobic groups also spread disinformation that the stabbings were an 鈥業slamist鈥 attack. Some even outrageously tried to link the event to the Palestine solidarity movement.鈥
JCA spokesperson Dr Max Kaiser said the wrong name of the attacker 鈥渨as deliberately spread by notorious antisemites and fascists attempting to use this tragedy to drive anti-Semitism鈥.
鈥淲e unequivocally condemn any attempts to stoke fear, hatred, or discrimination against migrants, Muslims or Jews in the aftermath of this horrific event,鈥 Kaiser said.
Sarah Schwartz, another JCA spokesperson, said the tragic attack must not be 鈥渆xploited for political gain or to stoke Islamophobia or antisemitism鈥.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia said on April 14 its members are mourning the loss of聽Faraz Tahir, a 30鈥搚ear old security guard, who tried to stop the attacker.
Tahir, a refugee from Pakistan who sought refuge in Australia a year ago, was fleeing persecution. He quickly became 鈥渋ntegral鈥 to the community and was 鈥渒nown for his unwavering dedication and kindness鈥 and his contribution to the organisation鈥檚 charity work.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, established in 1889, spans more than 200 countries and has a membership exceeding tens of millions. It advocates for peace and harmony, the separation of religion and state and the safeguarding religious and other minority groups.
reported on April 15 that several X accounts, 鈥渋ncluding those of journalists and far-right political leaders in the UK, speculated without evidence that the person responsible was motivated by Islamic faith鈥.
Julia Hartley-Brewer, a presenter on British channel TalkTV who claim 鈥淚slamist ideology鈥 is a 鈥渢he problem鈥, first claimed the attacker was an 鈥淚slamist terrorist鈥 and then had to retract.
said on X 鈥渢he mother died at the hands of Islamic terrorist in Sydney 鈥 how many more must die before we admit we have a huge problem is Islamic extremists鈥. He has not retracted or corrected the comment, which has now been viewed 317,000 times.
Prime Minister conceded on April 15 that more could be done to bolster mental health services across the country.