What was meant to be a moment of celebration quickly turned tense.
During Eidul Fitr prayers at Lakemba Mosque in Sydney, protesters interrupted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
They did so with boos and chants over his government’s position on the war in Gaza.
About 15 minutes after Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke joined worshippers at the mosque, demonstrators began shouting “Get out!”.
They accused the leaders of supporting “genocide,” referencing Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Organisers tried to calm the crowd. “Dear brothers and sisters, keep calm a little bit,” one of them urged.
“It is Eid. It is a joyful day.” But emotions were clearly running high.
At one point, a security guard tackled a heckler before escorting him away, while others shouted “Shame on you!” as the officials departed.
Protests Highlight Tensions
The backlash reflects growing frustration among some communities in Australia over the government’s balancing act since the conflict began.
Canberra has repeatedly expressed concern for Palestinians and called for a ceasefire, while also backing Israel’s right to defend itself.
Speaking later, Albanese downplayed the disruption. In a crowd of about 30,000 people, he said, only “a couple of people” were heckling.
Still, the episode highlights how deeply the Gaza conflict is resonating far beyond the Middle East.
It is turning even a day of celebration into a stage for political anger.
