Sydney siege: NZ Muslims in tears over support

New Zealand Muslims were brought to tears by a social media display of solidarity in Sydney during the Lindt cafe siege.

Sydneysiders, fearing anti-Islam acts against Muslims in religious dress, took to social media to offer support.

What started with one woman offering support with the Twitter hashtag #illridewithyou quickly became a citywide and then global trend, generating about 120,000 tweets.

Tessa Kum, a Sydney television content editor, told Guardian Australia she started the hashtag after reading about another Twitter user's kind act.

Rachel Jacobs had tweeted that a Muslim woman on the train with her had removed her hijab, presumably out of fear.

Jacobs tweeted: "I ran after her at the train station. I said 'put it back on, I'll walk with u'. She started to cry and hugged me for about a minute - then walked off alone."

Tweeting under the name Sir Tessa, Ms Kum offered assistance to anyone riding her bus home: "If you ... wear religious attire, & don't feel safe alone: I'll ride with you."

In New Zealand, Federation of Islamic Associations president Dr Anwar Ghani said New Zealand Muslims were praying for the innocent siege victims in Sydney.

Some had been moved to tears by the Sydney hashtag movement.

"Kiwi Muslims mourn for those innocent people who lost their lives. We will honour them by praying, working and standing up for peace at all costs."