RNA - Australia's Islamic leadership called for restraint on Wednesday as it emerged that Muslims and mosques had been targeted as a result of the growing Islamophobia throughout the world, AFP reported.
Lawyer Mariam Veiszadeh from the Islamophobia Register told reporters that in recent days a pig's head had been impaled on a cross, mosques vandalised and threatening messages spray-painted on property and cars.
"A number of women, particularly in hijab, and children have been verbally abused and threatened," she said.
"In one case a western Sydney woman and her baby were spat on and her pram kicked. In another, a man in Perth tried to rip the scarf off a woman's head."
Threats have been made against at least four mosques across Australia and cars have been spray painted with threats, Ms Veiszadeh added.
Muslim leaders including the Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed have condemned "the horrors conducted overseas in the name of religion" as "crimes against humanity and sins against God".
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