In short:
Graffiti at the Virgin Mary Mosque in Hoppers Crossing has prompted strong political support and a broader discussion about religious vilification rather than racism. The incident highlights Wyndham’s culturally diverse Muslim community and concerns about mislabelling and harmful stereotypes.
Incident Condemned But Mischaracterised
Wyndham City Council has condemned an act of graffiti vandalism after the words “GET SOME PORK ON YA FORK!” were sprayed on the Virgin Mary Mosque on Friday 5 December, a message that appeared to mock Islamic dietary requirements.
Councillors, state and federal politicians have visited the Hoppers Crossing site over the weekend offering their support to the local Muslim community.
The incident prompted an immediate response from Council’s graffiti removal team, who cleared the site the same day.
Waiting three days until after the incident, Mayor Josh Gilligan released a strong public statement addressing the attack and stressing that racism has no place in the city.
His message was directed both to the wider community and to local Muslim residents who were directly impacted by the graffiti.
Mayor Gilligan’s full statement reads:
I strongly condemn the hateful Islamophobic graffiti targeting the Virgin Mary Mosque. Racism has no place in Wyndham, not at places of worship, not on our streets, not anywhere.
To our Muslim residents and everyone connected to the Mosque: you are a valued part of our community. You belong here, and you deserve to feel safe, respected and supported.
Council’s graffiti removal service removed the graffiti the same day.
Wyndham’s diversity is our strength, and Council is investing in practical work to build inclusion and reduce racism including specific programs that:
Strengthen connection, trust, belonging and perceptions of safety;
Help local employers improve inclusive practices and connect people facing barriers to work, particularly multicultural young people and women; and
Support residents to build skills and confidence to participate and lead in community life.
If you have information about this incident, please report it to Victoria Police. If you experience or witness racism, report it and seek support.
Wyndham stands together and we will not tolerate hate.
Cr Josh Gilligan
Mayor, Wyndham City Council
Many in the community might dispute the characterisation of the incident as racism, noting that it is in fact an instance of religious vilification due to Islam being a religion rather than a race or ethnicity.
Wyndham’s Muslim residents come from many cultural and national backgrounds, including Lebanon, Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia and numerous other regions across the world.
The Islamic faith itself also contains different denominations, most notably Sunni and Shia, each with variations in interpretation, practice and cultural traditions.
As the second-largest religion globally, Muslims represent a broad and diverse population with their own cultural practices, and characterising them as a single group can lead to mislabelling, oversimplification and the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes.
Wyndham City Council was invited to outline the criteria it uses to classify acts as racism or religious vilification but declined to comment.
Police are asking anyone with information to come forward as investigations continue.
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