Inside Australia's most Muslim suburb

**Crusader** · 12-17-2017, 08:10 AM

Inside Australia's most Muslim suburb: Lakemba residents speak out about racism and same-sex marriage in one of the country's most diverse areas

One of Australia's most diverse suburbs has been explored after tumultuous year

Lakemba in the western part of Sydney is Australia's most Muslim suburb

A white man living in the area said he 'hated' the diversity as he was a 'racist'

A woman who wears a niqab said she has been sworn at due to her veil

One of Australia's most diverse suburbs has been explored following a tumultuous year.

Lakemba in western Sydney is Australia's most Muslim suburb, and its residents have spoken to news.com.au about their experiences living in the area.

A white man who has lived in Lakemba for 43 years claimed he 'hated' the diversity, saying 'I'm a racist'.

'I don't like them sitting on the footpath, all the customs… I don't like change. People scratching themselves, spitting on the footpath, hacking up… they make no effort,' he said.
The man - who said his name was Leigh - made the comments within earshot of three other men, Muhammad Nazir, 71, Sayed Alam, 25, and 84-year-old Michael Chinappa who were sitting outside a bakery.

Leigh said he can't leave the area as his house wouldn't sell for enough money, and also said he thinks an English language test should be brought in for new residents.

Zena Beydoun, store manager at the country's first Islamic clothing retailer Nour Al Houda, said her customers came from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds.

The 44-year-old mother of six has worn a hijab for seven years, and said she has suffered from racist comments in Sydney's west, with people swearing at her and pulling the fingers when she attempts to park her car.

Joumana Akhdar voted no to same-sex marriage, as did the majority of the seat of Watson in which Lakemba sits.

The 42-year-old mother of five also said she prefers Muslim people to marry other Muslims. She also thinks One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is 'funny'.

In May, Shia imam Sheikh Mohammad Tawhidi was mobbed with abuse only moments after strolling along Haldon Street in Lakemba, home to Australia's largest mosque.
A man shouted in Arabic at Sheikh Tawhidi as he walked with 7News reporter Bryan Seymour.

Asked what the insult meant, Sheikh Tawhidi said 'it means 'may God curse you, you pig, you dog''.

Sheikh Tawhidi has spoken out against radicalisation and sharia law.

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