Australia: Swaminarayan Temple in Melbourne defaced with racist slurs, ‘Go Home Brown…'
Police have launched a probe into the incident, "Police are investigating following reports of graffiti in Bayswater and Boronia on 21 July... There is absolutely no place at all in our society for hate-based and racist behaviour."
Expressing shock over the incident, President of the Hindu Council of Australia, Victoria chapter, Makrand Bhagwat, told Australia Today said, 'Our temple is meant to be a sanctuary of peace, devotion and unity'
Noting that the temple, which hosts daily prayers, community meals and cultural festivals, draws congregants from across Melbourne's Indian diaspora, he added, "To have it targeted in this way feels like an attack on our identity, our right to worship and freedom of religion."
According to Australian news outlet, while Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan is yet to publicly condemn the vandalism at the Temple, however, her office has sent a private message to the Temple management.
In her statement Allan said as cited by The Australia Today, "The Shree Swaminarayan Temple is so much more than a place of worship - it's a place of warmth and community... What happened this week was hateful, racist and deeply disturbing. It wasn't just vandalism - it was a deliberate act of hate, designed to intimidate, isolate, and spread fear."
Her statement also said, "It was an attack on your right to feel safe and to belong, and on the values that bind us together. There's no place for it anywhere in Victoria. And it must be called out for what it is. Jackson Taylor raised this with me directly. He is a strong voice for your community, and I want you to know that we both stand with you. I'm advised that Victoria Police are taking this matter seriously, as they should. Soon, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs will visit the Shree Swaminarayan Temple to offer the support of our Government, and to listen to you and your community directly."
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