Police Investigate Racist Graffiti at Islamic School in Melbourne’s West
An Islamic school in Melbourne’s western suburbs has been targeted with racist graffiti, prompting a police investigation and renewed condemnation from community and political leaders.
Victoria Police said offensive graffiti was sprayed on the fence of the Islamic College of Melbourne in Tarneit on Wednesday night. The message contained derogatory and Islamophobic language. No arrests have been made so far, according to the Herald Sun.
Police are also examining whether the graffiti is connected to two offensive phone calls received earlier in the week by a mosque associated with the school. Those calls were reported on Monday and are being investigated as part of the same inquiry.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said authorities do not tolerate hate-based behaviour and confirmed the investigation is ongoing.
Read More:
The Islamic Council of Victoria condemned the incident, describing it as another example of anti-Muslim racism targeting educational institutions.
The council called on authorities and government bodies to take action and hold those responsible to account, as stated in its online post.
The incident follows another act of vandalism reported two weeks earlier at the Virgin Mary Mosque in Hoppers Crossing, where graffiti with an anti-Muslim message was sprayed on the fence and driveway.
Islamic Council of Victoria president Mohamed Mohideen said the recent incidents were deeply troubling but reflected a broader pattern.
He said mosques and Muslim community organisations in Victoria had increasingly reported vandalism, harassment, and online threats. He added that Muslim individuals continued to face intimidation, verbal abuse, and discrimination in everyday life.
Read More:
Condemnation also came from across the political spectrum. Liberal upper house MP Evan Mulholland slammed the attack and called for a strong denunciation of such acts. Federal Labor MP Joanne Ryan said discrimination against Muslims had no place in Australian society.
Mohideen said further action was needed to address a rise in Islamophobic incidents. He said this should include stronger protections for places of worship, greater investment in anti-racism initiatives, and decisive measures to counter online hate speech and extremist ideologies.
Source: Agencies
