Dear Premier,

We writing to bring to your attention an alarming and unacceptable act of hate that took place on 20 December at 3:45 PM in Kmart, Bankstown Centre, targeting Mariam and her 11-year-old daughter. Both are visibly Muslim females wearing the headscarves.

While shopping in the bathroom organiser section, Mariam and her daughter were subjected to a distressing and unprovoked attack. The incident unfolded as follows:

Initial Aggression: A series of boxes and packs of pencils were thrown at Mariam from the other side of the shelves. Though startled, Mariam looked around but saw no one and continued shopping.

Physical Intimidation: Moments later, a woman in her 40s approached from behind, physically restrained Mariam by locking her arm around her (without touching her) near the shelves, and started pulling out boxes of organisers, dropping them on her. Mariam, understandably shaken, could not fully comprehend or recall what the woman said during the attack, as she was in shock and deeply concerned for her daughter’s safety.

Threatening Gestures: After leaving the section, Mariam encountered the same woman again. The assailant directed threatening gestures toward them, including a throat-slitting motion. Mariam then began filming, and the video can be viewed on Instagram here: Instagram post.

Mariam immediately contacted the police; however, police only began to contact Mariam more than 24 hours later. Despite this, Kmart staff and security supported Mariam and have the necessary footage available.

The police and media are falsely portraying Mariam as uncooperative and unwilling to make a statement, which is completely untrue. After waiting for the police to contact her, Mariam, in consultation with the community, decided to visit Bankstown Police Station in person with a group of supporters on 22 December 2024 at 9:30 AM to make her statement.

Premier, your strong stance against antisemitism has been noted and appreciated. The community now urges you to also condemn this Islamophobic attack on Mariam and her young daughter. This incident is a stark reminder of the persistent threats and discrimination faced by Muslim women and girls in our society. It is crucial that such acts of hate are addressed promptly and unequivocally.

We hope for your leadership in ensuring justice for Mariam and her daughter, as well as robust measures to protect all community members from similar incidents in the future.

Sincerely,

• Families for Palestine Grassroots Community Group – unceded First Nations land (NSW)
• Teachers and School Staff for Palestine NSW