Islamophobia Envoy slams Karl Stefanovic's suggestion praying Muslims were 'baiting' police
'TODAY' host's comments 'utterly misleading' and 'reinforce harmful assumptions'
The Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia and Muslim community groups have hit out at comments from morning show host Karl Stefanovic that Muslims who were attacked by NSW Police while praying outside Sydney Town Hall may have been “baiting police”.
Footage of police shoving and dragging members of a prayer congregation has made international headlines, sparked calls for an inquiry into police misconduct and prompted demands that NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon resign.
Comments “completely and utterly dishonest”
Interviewing NSW Premier Chris Minns on Tuesday morning, TODAY host Karl Stefanovic suggested that the Town Hall prayer congregation may have been “baiting police”.
“So Muslims praying in the city as well, Premier – whether it was legitimate prayer or they were baiting police, who knows – but that will be weaponised against the force, you know that,” Stefanovic said.
Aftab Malik, the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, called Stefanovic’s comments “utterly misleading”, warning they “[reinforce] harmful assumptions about Muslim Australians”.
“Public prayer is lawful, legitimate, and protected,” Malik told Deepcut.
“Language matters. When influential media voices cast doubt on the legitimacy of Muslims practicing their faith, it contributes to an environment where discrimination is normalised and excessive force is justified.”
Minns made no response to Stefanovic’s suggestion that the prayer group may have been “baiting police,” instead citing “a deep respect and a long history of cooperation” between police and Islamic community leaders.
“NSW Police would never, ever have deliberately provoked the Islamic community,” Minns claimed.
Malik also criticised Minns’ comments, saying “actions speak louder than intentions”.
“The Premier and the police were aware of the presence of Muslims among the protesters and, precisely because of the decades of cooperation he mentioned, police officers should have known better.”
“The question is not whether offence was intended but where those decades of cooperation went in that moment. Why were worshippers subjected to excessive force despite this relationship?” Malik asked.
“These are questions the Premier and NSW Police must answer.”
When governments want to censor, Deepcut stands for freedom of speech — but we can’t do it without your help.
Sheikh Wesam Charkawi, who led the prayer congregation, said Stefanovic’s suggestion was “completely and utterly dishonest and disingenuous”.
“We moved 60 or 70 metres away from police [to pray]”, Charkawi told Deepcut. “We walked all the way from George Street to the far end to be completely out of the way,” Charkawi told Deepcut.
“We weren’t blocking the pathway. The whole area around us was free and clear. There was no reason for police to come and hassle and antagonise people who were engaged in what is the most sacred thing to us.”
A spokesperson for Muslim Votes Matter called Stefanovic’s comments “outrageous and deeply irresponsible”.
“To suggest that people peacefully praying are somehow responsible for the police response is the ultimate act of victim-blaming,” the spokesperson told Deepcut.
“Muslims do not forfeit their rights in public spaces, and prayer is not a provocation. Media commentary that frames religious observance as manipulation only fuels prejudice and excuses abuses of power.”
Channel Nine did not respond to questions.
Victorian Premier urged to cancel Herzog visit
The backlash to Stefanovic’s comments comes amid growing public anger over police violence against attendees of a pro-Palestine rally at Town Hall on Monday that left several people hospitalised, including a 69-year-old woman and a state MP.
More than 150 Muslim community organisations issued a joint statement on Tuesday demanding an independent inquiry into police violence at the rally, a public apology from Minns and police minister Yasmin Catley, and the resignation of NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
“We will not accept the normalisation of force, intimidation or discriminatory policing against our communities,” the letter states. “Peaceful prayer is not a threat, and the visible practice of faith must never be treated as grounds for repression.”
NSW Greens politician Abigail Boyd – who posted a photo of herself in a neck brace from her hospital bed on Monday night, writing “I blame you @chrisminnsmp” – reportedly confronted Lanyon inside state parliament on Tuesday, telling him that police officers badly injured her.
The Town Hall protest was called against Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is currently touring Australia. In September, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry found that Herzog incited genocide in October 2023 when he claimed that “an entire nation out there [in Gaza]... is responsible” for the October 7 attack on Israel.
Citing police violence at the Sydney rally, Victorian Greens MPs have urged Premier Jacinta Allan to rescind the state government’s invitation for Herzog to visit Melbourne on Thursday.
“At a time when social cohesion and national unity is needed more than ever, Herzog visiting Melbourne will stoke the fires of division while lending international legitimacy for Israel’s horrific war crimes,” the letter states.
“As we have seen from scenes in NSW yesterday, his arrival in Victoria is likely to spark heightened community distress, increased police violence, the erosion of democratic rights and diminishing trust in the government.”
Prime minister Anthony Albanese doubled down on his support for Herzog’s visit on Tuesday, telling Parliament “we need to turn the temperature down in this country. We need to turn it right down.”
Got a tip? Email tips@deepcutnews.com or send an anonymous Signal to @deepcut.25.
The metaphor to be wrought from Monday night is stark indeed. Minns, Albanese, Lanyon , Stefanovic and rest of the supine mainstream media have taken a leaf straight from Trump’s playbook. Unarmed protesters peacefully voicing their opposition to a brutal regime and its titular head who should be pleading his case in The Hague are blamed for inciting fear in and violence from the police, who were only armed with guns, pepper spray, batons and body armour. Despite the clear vision on footage these “ leaders” claim that you didn’t see what you saw. Classic MAGA. I guess we have discovered the truth our indigenous sisters and brothers have endured for over two hundred years. Time for people of morality to support moral politicians and our police to remember they are part of the community and refuse these authoritarian dictates.
Here’s a radical thought which surely plays into the narrative that we want social cohesion: police form a protective half circle to protect them while directing people to peacefully go around? Nope. When people show you who they are, believe them. They’ve been showing us for a long time.