Fatima Payman has criticized the Labor government for maintaining a “double standard” over incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia in Australia.
The senator accused Australian politicians of having very different responses to the bombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne on Friday and the burning of a bus belonging to an Islamic school in Adelaide on Sunday.
“Two acts of arson, two acts of hate, but two very different responses,” Senator Payman said in a heated rant shared on Instagram on Tuesday.
‘In Melbourne, a synagogue was tragically burned down. It was quickly declared a terrorist attack. Leaders across the country condemned it and pledged millions of dollars to support the Jewish community.
‘But in Adelaide, an Islamic school bus was set on fire. Police suspect it was racially motivated. However, there is no outrage, no promises of support and certainly no declaration of terrorism. Why the double standard?
‘Anti-Semitism is condemned as it should be, but Islamophobia? It is ignored, minimized or dismissed. This government says it is against hate, but it is clear that not all hate is treated equally.’
However, Senator Payman’s claim that the bus fire was racially motivated was inaccurate: SAPOL said on Monday that they had “so far not identified any evidence to indicate that it was racially or politically motivated”.
A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they had no further updates on Wednesday.
Senator Fatima Payman (pictured) accused the Labor government of applying a “double standard” when it comes to incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism in Australia.
Damage from Adass Israel Synagogue Attack Expected to Run into Millions
The school bus, belonging to the IQRA Islamic School in South Adelaide, was set on fire shortly before midnight on Sunday and, although police believe the fire was deliberately set, it is not believed to have been a racially or politically motivated attack. .
No one was injured in the fire, but the bus was severely damaged.
The Adass Israel synagogue fire, which destroyed the building, has been declared an act of terrorism as police continue to pursue three suspects.
The criminals are believed to have set fire to the building early Friday morning, as worshipers arrived for morning prayers on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Terrified worshipers were forced to flee the building and two people suffered minor injuries.
Damage from the attack is expected to cost millions of dollars, and the synagogue was almost completely destroyed by the fire.
Senator Payman has served as a senator for Western Australia since 2022, initially for the Labor Party before becoming an independent and then launching her own political party, Australia’s Voice, in October.
Earlier this month, he blasted Pauline Hanson with a fiery parliamentary spray, accusing the One Nation leader of racism and claiming she brings “dishonour to the human race”.
The bus, belonging to the IQRA Islamic College in Adelaide’s south, was set on fire on Sunday.
Senator Payman was reacting to Senator Hanson’s presentation of a document that said her Afghan citizenship disqualified her from serving in parliament.
Section 44c of the Australian constitution prevents anyone who holds the citizenship of another country from sitting in parliament.
But Senator Payman says she has legal advice confirming that she can serve as a senator because she has taken all necessary steps to renounce her Afghan citizenship and the Taliban-controlled state has not yet responded.