Media Release
A shocking video has emerged of a racist attack on two Palestinian men in Sydney by participants of the so-called “March for Australia” racist rallies on Sunday. The video can be seen here.
Two brothers, Shamikh and Majed Badra, who have lost family in Gaza, and whose mother is in imminent danger of being killed in Gaza by Israel’s bombardment, were physically and verbally assaulted in a hate crime carried out as they were travelling home on a train on Sunday afternoon. The attackers swore racist abuse and pursued the Palestinian men off the train.
Shamikh and Majed are film-makers who have recently produced a documentary, “Gaza Nippers – Hope Amid Devastation”, about the plight of Gaza’s children, who tried to set up a surf lifesavers club in Gaza.
A press conference will be held at 3pm today, at the Tree of Knowledge, in the Domain behind NSW Parliament, with Shamikh Badra and the Palestine Action Group Sydney.
What: Press conference following racist attack
Where: Tree of Knowledge, behind NSW parliament
When: 3pm Tuesday 2 September
Who: Palestine Action Group Sydney
Present at the press conference will be:
- Shamikh Badra, victim of racist hate crime
- Josh Lees, Palestine Action Group Sydney
Shamikh Badra has written of his ordeal:
We Were Attacked for Wearing a Palestinian Scarf. Our Story of Anti-Palestinian Racism in Sydney:
On Sunday, after the rally for Palestine in Sydney, my brother Majed and I boarded a train. Four persons targeted us, simply because Majed was wearing a Palestinian scarf (kufiya).
They subjected us to racist verbal abuse and physical assault. They shouted at us:
- “If you want to fight for Palestine, go back there.”
- “Take off the Palestinian scarf.”
- “Get out of the train.”
- “Don’t stay in Australia, get the f** out of Australia.”
This was not random. It was a hate crime, an act of anti-Palestinian racism, both racially and politically motivated.
We tried to de-escalate the situation by leaving the train at the nearest station, even though it was far from home. But the attackers followed and chased us.
When the train stopped at Macdonald Station, all passengers left the carriage. The train officer confirmed the incident has been reported to police.
What happened to us was not just an attack on two individuals, it was an attack on our identity and on anyone who dares to show solidarity with Palestine in Australia.
No one should ever be attacked for wearing a cultural or political symbol.
No one should feel unsafe on public transport. No one should be silenced for being Palestinian. Hate speech fuels hate crimes. Racism must never be tolerated.
We demand safety.
We demand accountability.
We demand justice.
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