Muslim worshipper says jacket saved his life after alleged hate attack near Melbourne mosque

Photo: ABC

A Muslim father-of-three says a thick winter jacket may have saved his life after he was allegedly attacked by two men carrying a makeshift weapon while walking to a mosque in Melbourne, in an incident that has intensified concerns about rising anti-Muslim hatred in Australia.

The alleged assault happened on 24 June in Hampton Park, in Melbourne's south-east, only metres from a local mosque where 43-year-old Samir Raghbat had been heading for prayers.

Police in the state of Victoria said detectives were investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack but have not yet announced any arrests or charges.

"Are you Muslim?"

Mr Raghbat told Australian broadcaster ABC News that the confrontation began after he challenged a group of men for leaving rubbish in a nearby car park.

What started as an argument quickly escalated, he said.

According to Mr Raghbat, one of the men repeatedly asked whether he was Muslim. After he answered yes, another attacker allegedly urged his companion to kill him.

He said the suspect then thrust what appeared to be a homemade spike-like weapon toward his torso.

The weapon narrowly missed his body and instead pierced his padded jacket.

"God protected me. The jacket took the blow," Mr Raghbat told ABC, saying he rarely wore it.

At the time, he was dressed in a traditional Islamic thobe as he made his way to the mosque.

CCTV captures violent assault

Security camera footage reviewed by ABC reportedly shows two men repeatedly punching and kicking Mr Raghbat before bystanders stepped in, forcing the attackers to flee.

Mr Raghbat said the assault left him fearing he would not survive.

He alleged one attacker gripped his neck for several minutes, leaving him struggling to breathe.

"I thought it was over," he said, recalling that he begged for his life during the attack.

He was later treated at Dandenong Hospital for facial injuries, bruising, leg and back wounds, as well as psychological trauma.

He said his injuries were so severe that his young daughter failed to recognise him when he returned home.

"When she saw me, she ran away crying," he said.

Muslim leaders condemn attack

The Islamic Council of Victoria described the alleged assault as deeply disturbing, saying no one should fear violence while travelling to worship.

Council president Mohamed Mohideen said the incident reflected growing anxiety among Muslims in Victoria.

"Anti-Muslim hatred is real, it is increasing, and it has consequences for people's safety," he said.

Research points to surge in anti-Muslim abuse

The attack comes amid evidence that anti-Muslim hostility has intensified both online and offline.

Research by Australia's Tackling Hate Lab, which examined more than one million social media posts between 2023 and 2026, found anti-Muslim hate speech rose sharply after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

The study found hateful posts increased from an average of just over 18 per day before October 2023 to more than 120 daily afterwards.

Following the Bondi terrorist attack in December 2025, the volume of anti-Muslim posts surged again, reaching nearly 1,900 posts a day during the following month. On the day of the attack itself, researchers recorded almost 7,800 anti-Muslim posts.

Many incidents never reported

Community organisations say official figures likely underestimate the scale of the problem.

The Islamic Council of Victoria recorded a 650% rise in reported anti-Muslim incidents between 2021 and 2025, while Islamophobia Register Australia said reports nationwide have increased almost sevenfold since October 2023.

The organisations say many victims choose not to report abuse because of fear, distrust of authorities, or emotional exhaustion.

Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, recently warned that anti-Muslim incidents were becoming increasingly "brazen" and violent as the government launched a national awareness campaign aimed at tackling Islamophobia.