Libyan expatriate Faisel Tubbal says violence is un-Islamic. Picture: ADAM McLEAN
When Faisel Tubbal's brother Osama was gunned down by Muammar Gaddafi's violent forces in a Libyan street protest last year, Mr Tubbal labelled him a hero.
For the Wollongong father of three, the right to peaceful protest is an important one - and one the Libyan expat has exercised many times during his time in Australia.
In the wake of the weekend's turbulent protest scenes Mr Tubbal, who is a practising Muslim, has denounced the violence as un-Islamic, urging people to look to all that is good within the Islamic community.
"Violence is not the Islamic way," the 34-year-old said.
"We're told 'Don't hurt anybody, don't fight, don't attack' - it's not the way to protest, we are against that."
Violence erupted between demonstrators and police in Sydney on Saturday, after hundreds gathered as part of a global protest against the anti-Islamic film, Innocence of Muslims.
It followed similar demonstrations around the world, including a deadly attack on the US consulate in Libya.
Yesterday Mr Tubbal said he had both Muslim and non-Muslim friends who had viewed the film and were disgusted and angered by its content.
And while he could relate to the anger felt by the protesters, he said violence was the wrong way to express it.
"We are not satisfied with the film - we are very angry because of the way the film [portrays] our religion and we protested because people should respect each other's religions," Mr Tubbal said.
"But there are many, many ways to show your [disapproval], through media or going into the street and protesting in a peaceful way."
He urged people to look beyond the violent minority and focus on the good within the Islamic community, in particular those in Libya who helped the Americans under attack in the US consulate.
"Some of them [the protesters] were of very good behaviour and some of them helped the police out," Mr Tubbal said.
"Why can't we look to all the good people as representatives for Islam? Why can't we look to those people or the people who have been shot protecting the embassy in Libya?"