Australian report finds an increase in Islamophobia following Christchurch terror attack

Three years on from the horrific Christchurch terror attacks a new report has observed an increase in online and physical Islamophobic hate incidents.

Speaking to TVNZ's Breakfast, Dr Derya Iner, a researcher into Islamophobic hate crime, said that the imprints of the attack were still strong.

Iner worked on the third Islamophobia in Australia report alongside the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisations which looked into 247 incidents reported during 2018 and 2019.

Of those, 138 were of physical circumstances and 109 were of online circumstances.

She said the report was reflective of the hate that Muslims all over the world endured, not just the community in Australia.

It found that hate was especially escalating in the online sphere due to people associating Muslims with terrorism and that physical circumstances mostly related to incidents targeting Muslim women, she said.

Following the Christchurch terror attacks online Islamophobia was reported 18 times as often and real-world Islamophobia quadrupled.

Floral tributes to the victims of the Christchurch terror attack laid at Hagley Park a week after the attack. Photo / Alan Gibson

National co-ordinator of the Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand Aliya Danzeisen said that the report findings are reciprocated here.

"I'd recommend New Zealanders go and read this report to see a sampling of what happens in our communities."

She said she was not surprised that it showed hijab-wearing Muslims bore the brunt of physical incidents.

To her the hijab symbolises her right to express herself in a way she wishes and it also was an expression of her connection with God.

"You would not lift the skirt of a woman so why would you ask me to lift my veil, and the other thing is you would not interfere with an important conversation so why would you try to interfere with my connection with God," she said.

Despite the losses and challenges the 2019 attack brought, Danzeisen said the Muslim community in Christchurch especially was coming back stronger and with more resilience.

"As a community we are doing well, we are showing a lot of resilience from what did occur and what was a horrific attack. We are still advocating with the Government in relation to regulation of social media and hate."

She also called for people to step up alongside the Muslim community if they saw someone expressing hate towards them.