My brother it pains me greatly that you have suffered.
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These heartfelt words by Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery were uttered to Yousuf Alsaadi on Friday at Omar Mosque.
Only a week earlier the 19-year-old Omani student suffered a broken arm following an incident near the Gwynneville mosque.
‘’Could I say to our brother here with a broken arm and to the others involved in the incident, on behalf of the people of Wollongong, we are sorry,’’ Cr Bradbery said.
Good Samaritan, Mt St Thomas father-of four Abdul-Latif Abdul-Latif was also rushed to Wollongong Hospital after his left kneecap was ‘’totally shattered’’ following the attack on January 20.
Two men have been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company and affray.
But a week on from that incident members of the mosque, including Imam Sheikh Abdul Rahman, were still no clearer on what was being done to protect their rights.
The Imam though was ‘’happy’’ the Lord Mayor, Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward, and Labor politicians Paul Scully and Sharon Bird dropped by the mosque on Friday to address some of the ‘’community’s concerns’’.
Cr Bradbery told those in attendance that all Australians had a right to protection.
‘’Brothers, we live in circumstances in our world today where there are those who think they have the right to victimise or isolate people or sections of groups and blame them for the problems of the world….and whether that be Pauline Hanson or Donald Trump or anyone, it is not on in Australia,’’ he said.
‘’So today I’m here with the others to reassure you that in the city of Wollongong we will work hard for your protection.
‘’But I shall work hard for the protection of everyone's right whether they be Muslim or no matter what group in our community. Everyone has a right to worship freely, to feel protected and also to enjoy the benefits of living in our city.’’
Mr Ward agreed and added all sides of politics ‘’stand with you and feel your pain and we want you to know that justice should be done’’.
‘’I spoke with our [NSW] Premier and Minister for Multiculturalism who both asked me to extend to you their deepest sympathies and their disgust with the incident that took place here.’’