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AUSTRALIANS ARE RALLYING together for the Muslim community in Sydney following fears for their safety after a man took dozens of people hostage in a café.
The gunman has displayed a flag associated with jihadists in the window, prompting fears that people will retaliate against innocent people.
Members of the public are now posting details of their route to work and offering anyone who feels uncomfortable travelling on their own to accompany them.
The offer began after some people expressed discomfort about being in the city while wearing clothes which signal a religious belief.
#IllRideWithYou, which is trending globally, was started by Twitter user @SirTessa, after she spotted a story on Facebook about a woman taking off her hijab on a train.
Sir Tessa / TwitterIf you reg take the #373 bus b/w Coogee/MartinPl, wear religious attire, & don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride with you. @ me for schedule.
— Sir Tessa (@sirtessa) December 15, 2014
Jakkii Musgrave / TwitterMore than happy to join the #IllRideWithYou initiative. T3 or T4 from Sydenham to city and return, daily.
— Jakkii Musgrave (@slybeer) December 15, 2014
Craig Laundy / TwitterIf Australians not of Muslim faith attack Australians that are, the terrorists win. Be it on trains,Internet or the street, #illridewithyou
— Craig Laundy (@LaundyCraig) December 15, 2014
Daniel Sankey / TwitterI don't take public transport to work. But #illwalkwithyou any day. Kensington to Surry Hills. #illridewithyou
— Daniel Sankey 📰🐎 (@Daniel_Sankey) December 15, 2014
An unknown number of hostages are still being held in the cafe.
The man has demanded that a flag of the Islamic State group be delivered to him and warned that four bombs have been planted around the city, Channel Ten said.
More than 40 Australian Muslim groups have jointly condemned a siege at a Sydney cafe in which hostages were taken by an armed man and an Islamic flag displayed.
“We reject any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being or to instil fear and terror into their hearts,” they said in a statement.
Twitter Australia / TwitterIn the past 2 hours there have been more than 40,000 mentions of #illridewithyou http://t.co/1nLr4EqqBn #sydneysiege pic.twitter.com/X9Sb2fbGAy
— Australia (@XAustralia) December 15, 2014
The black flag shown at a window in the Lindt cafe was one commonly used by jihadist groups bearing the shahada, or profession of faith in Islam. It said: “There is no God but Allah; Mohammed is his messenger.”
The Muslim groups said the inscription “is not representative of a political statement, but reaffirms a testimony of faith that has been misappropriated by misguided individuals that represent no-one but themselves”.
Additional reporting © AFP 2014
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Surely its the Muslim community of Australia that need to be rallying around making gestures of goodwill at this time? And not the other way around. But they never do. They never band together in a strong show of solidarity against these kind of acts.
Have no time for religion of any sot but in fairness there are Muslims who take a stand #notinmyname
Guestures have already been made, it’s in the article.
“More than 40 Australian Muslim groups have jointly condemned a siege at a Sydney cafe in which hostages were taken by an armed man and an Islamic flag displayed”
I’m sorry but the unrelenting frequency and severity of Islamic terror attacks around the world warrant more than a few hashtags and lukewarm statements from the Muslim Community. Much, much more.
Most of the people fighting against Islamic fascism are Muslims; most of the Kurds, most of the Iraqi forces, the entire Afghan army. These people are fighting a war for their very existence – they don’t get to go home if they survive their tour. They could have just converted to whatever strain of Islam their aggressors favour, but instead they’re fighting for their lives.
But I agree that there is a disappointing silence from the Muslim communities in the west, in Indonesia etc. We knew exactly what they thought of the Danish cartoons.
According to a BBC report 5000 people killed by Jihadists in alone in month of november. And yet we are still told Islam is a religion of peace.
When you can publish cartoons mocking the paedophile prophet free of the fear of violent reprisals, then we can debate whether it’s a religion of peace.
Um….the Grand Mufti has condemned the act unequivically and the following can be found in the IT article on the subject:
”One of Australia’s largest mosques, at Lakemba in west Sydney, released a statement signed by a number of Islamic organisations including the Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Federation Islamic Council.
“The Australian Muslim community shares with fellow Sydneysiders their utter shock and horror at the unprecedented scenes emerging from the Lindt cafe in Martin Place this morning. Our immediate thoughts go to the hostages and their loved ones,” the statement said.
“We pray for their safety and hope this matter is resolved quickly and peacefully. We reject any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being, or to instill fear and terror into their hearts.
“Any such despicable act only serves to play into the agendas of those who seek to destroy the goodwill of the people of Australia and to further damage and ridicule the religion of Islam, and Australian Muslims through this country …
“This is a time for all Australians to stand together and support each other. We pray for a swift resolution to this crisis with no injuries or loss of life.””
So, actually they did band together and theydid condemn it. Even tyhe last section of this article highlights the rejection by Muslims at large.
Criticise by all means, but be accurate in the criticisms you make.
They’re just words Sarah, fairly weak words at that, from one man. As Lorum rightly says, we all knew exactly how hundreds of thousands of Muslims around the world felt about one single Danish cartoon when they went on the rampage across scores of cities worldwide. It’s just a pity they don’t feel as strongly about actual acts of terror.
I am accurate Sarah. In my original post I said ‘they never band together in a strong show of solidarity against these acts’. This is exactly accurate. Your quote from the Mufti doesn’t cut it.
Again:
”One of Australia’s largest mosques, at Lakemba in west Sydney, released a statement signed by a number of Islamic organisations including the Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Federation Islamic Council.”
Look, I’m not a cheerleader for this group but seriously, read the statements and content of the article and be consistent. Otherwise, your undermine your own position. You wanted a united statement of condemnation. Then a united statement is ”just words”. Make up your mind.
Ok, I’m off back to work. Have fun spiralling down the comments!
Are all the Muslims actively fighting Islamic terror right now not enough for you Sheldon?
Haters gotta hate
What do you suggest they do? I’ve seen a few examples of them banding together in a strong show of solidarity against acts such as these today….
Who will guard non-Muslims on their way to work?
Hindus?
I figure, the coast guard.
But that has obvious limitations.
Hindu Coastguard?
But commuters only face the threat of a bomb attack or hostage situation. Muslims on the other hand face the very real possibility of being called names.
Aren’t Muslims commuters too? Isn’t that the whole point?
Anyone who can’t sympathise with how Australian Muslims are affected by this event clearly never spent any time in Britain during IRA bombing campaigns.
Restores your faith in humanity.
Guarantee most of them are just doing it for attention seeking purposes on Twitter.
Oh right ya I’m a terrified Muslim, I know what I’ll do I’ll go to work with some random dude of twitter !
I’m sorry but… There are Lindt cafés? Sign me up
Incredible display of solidarity. Fairplay Australia.
It always amazes me that literally the second on of these attacks happen, instantly the story switches to persecution against Muslims, even though it rarely if ever happens. The was nothing like this for Jewish people when Israel bombed Gaza, yet they face an actual and very real threat.
Muslim extremists strike (yet again)…… —–> must mollycoddle Muslim community asap.
I don’t get it either.
Faith in humanity restored
A great idea.
Keep your friends close but keep the enemy even closer.
These IS fanatics are only making his people and their religion even more hated ……
I’d say the people who are being held at gunpoint by this demented savage couldn’t really give a flying f*** about what may or may not happen to Muslims on their way to work.
Ridiculous. In being a Muslim you are by default associating with and sharing ideologies with people like the man involved in the siege just as Catholics are indirectly supporting child molestation. If people are such devout believers they should expect to feel the consequences of supporting such abhorrent institutions.
So if I work to earn money to put food on my kids plate, am I supporter of Capitalism – good and bad?
Religion is a choice, means of survival and providing for your family is not always.
Enda
How are Catholics indirectly supporting child abuse
That is one os the most ridiculous statements ever on the journal
Enda what’s the punishment for apostasy under Islamic “law”? Death!
What does the Quran say about infidels?
Mohammed meet his last wife aged 6! She consummate at 9 years old that would make him a Paedophille but sure we know how women are treated under Islamic law.
The hierarchy in the Vatican should be brought before the Hague for crimes against humanity and some of its followers are so indoctrinated and deluded they’d never be critical of the church.But even the Vatican won’t kill you for leaving the faith.
Agreed but Muslims in Australia do bit face the same dangers of leaving Islam as those in Arab countries so you’re argument is invalid.
So honour killings only happen in the Middle East? Oh wait they happen in Western countries too! The apostate could be ostracised by family or community even if they weren’t killed as the Islamic hierarchy would demand.You don’t get to decide what is valid or invalid Enda.
Thank you Enda, for clarifying you’re level of misunderstanding of the bigger picture.
There’s 1.3 billion Islamic people spread across the world, second only to Christians at 2.1 billion.1/5th of the world is not some evil fringe group of jihadists…
Bullcrap Patrick , I’m 7 years here and have never had any issues . Sure some Irish make complete nuisances of themselves in bondi and the likes and give us a bad name but I’ve certainly never felt threatened . I remember how the poles were being treated in Ireland when I left and that was way worse than anything I’ve witnessed or heard of here .
Humanity in faith restored
You think these people are doing this because of their religious faith?
The Muslim community do get a hard time from the Aussies. The Irish in my experience living here get incorrectly stereotyped as well and if truth be a old unless you are English or to a lesser degree British you really are not welcome in Anglo Saxon Australia ala little Britain. The yanks are highly regarded also but that is where it ends. The Aussies are spoilt and the reaction to the siege as being over the top on the media. Good and bad in say group of people in any setting but the Aussies are uncultured, rough and definitely not migrant friendly. If Ireland wasn’t so screwed up due to the morally bankrupt politicians I would go home but I can’t and unfortunately I am stuck in a country which has a great climate but little else as the people are introverted, parochial and very very racist and as an add on, have absolute zero regard for the Irish.
“The gunman has displayed a flag associated with jihadists in the window”
That flag isn’t associated with Jihadists and the I.S. flag is different. The flag in the cafe is the same as the Saudi national flag only the Saudi one is green. What it says is “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the messenger of God.” it’s one of the most common phrases in Islam.
ABC News has a good run down on it.. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-15/sydney-siege-islamic-flag-explained/5968010
Which is now used on a large scale to inspire terror in Non-Muslims.
scopio, your views are as extreme as theirs, only you sound like you’re want some kind of “sanctus bellum” instead.
The only people that Muslims in Australia should really fear right now are the heavily armed militarized police.
RIP Charlse De Menzes London 7/7.
I guess in your rush to condemn, you forgot to mention the people that died on 7/7.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-12255836
Also Charles De Menezes was killed on 22/7.
Charlse Rex. Demenze was murdered in the paranoid aftermath of 7/7.
People were murdered in cold blood on 7/7 and another 7 if you add the year. 2+0+0+5
Gives us a good idea who pulled the strings on this one, The magic Mossad number.
Except it was not 2+0+0+5 it was 2,005. But why would Mossad be using the Christian calendar anyway? It was 5765 in the Jewish calendar.
Or the Madrid bombing?
Frank give yourself a Xmas present and seek help.
The Madrid bombing happened exactly 911 days after 9/11
9+1+1 = 11
Worse again frank, on the 7th day of Christmas there were 7 swans a swimming. 1+2+2+2 = 7 ( the 2′s look like swans as well) Creepy stuff. High 5 frank?
But in Spain the date format used is DD/MM/YYYY so it should be 119
Charles Rex If you lift the skin in all these spectaculars you will notice a familiar pattern.
Sept 11 is the 111th day before end of year and the 254th of the year….2+5+4 = 11
In their history as a Department, since 1865 there were 777 Line of Duty Deaths until September 11, 2001.
The number of firemen that lost their lives on the day of 9/11 was 343 =7x7x7
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20011224090550/http://www.euspba.org/911information.html
You’re saying we need to arrest all the 11 year-olds?
Yet another false flag operation in progress people, go back to sleep as your government loves you and has your best interest at heart.
I can’t believe how indoctrinated people are in relation to religion? “Religion stains humanity”
It’s all metaphorical folks and the only thing that we should be “worshiping” is the sun that comes up in the morning as without it we wouldn’t exist, we are all the same but have been brainwashed since birth by the controlled farce system.
Religion is as fake as the monetary system and government and you would be doing yourself a great favour if you do your own research in relation to these topics instead of living your lives in total ignorance.
headshot through the window,no messing around.only a matter of time till the islamists do something real bad in oz,they have been talking bout it for a while
I’m very moved by this gesture. Well done to those people, their actions can only strengthen the community. We are all human and we cannot allow the extreme minority nutcases win anything be they domestic or foreign.
What a country wish i lived there.
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