Albanese heckled, protester thrown out after commotion at Lakemba Mosque
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
The Muslim community's strained relationship with the federal government reached a boiling point today as protesters heckled Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Lakemba Mosque in south-west Sydney.
Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, whose electorate covers Lakemba, attended ahead of Eid al-Fitr celebrations tonight, which mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
They were sitting during a speech to the congregation when protesters came forward and booed the pair, yelling "shame", "disgrace", "genocide supporters" and "get them out of here".
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The speaker and other members of the community tried to calm the protesters, but they continued to shout.
Albanese and Burke remained seated as the speech continued.
But after about 15 minutes, their security detail appeared to signal that they should leave.
NSW Police were called to the mosque over a disturbance about 8am and ordered a 33-year-old man to move on. He was escorted out without any further incident.
The man, Sheikh Mukhlis, said he was thrown off the stairs barefoot after heckling Albanese and Burke.
"The question we need to ask ourselves is why are they there in our sacred places, in our sacred times, put up in front, smiling for photos," he said in a social media video.
"The irony is, if you listen to what the sheikh was actually saying in his khutbah, about our happiness being incomplete because there isn't peace in Gaza and there's a war in Lebanon.
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In a social media post after the commotion, Albanese said it was an honour to attend the Lakemba Mosque.
"Eid Mubarak. An honour to join thousands for Eid al-Fitr at Lakemba Mosque this morning," he said.
The Muslim community has been divided on whether the federal government should be invited to events due to their ongoing strained relationship.
There have been increased tensions due to criticisms of the government's response to the Israeli war in Gaza, the increase in Islamophobic attacks in Australia and the NSW Police's response to Muslim men who were praying during a protest in Sydney.
Lakemba Mosque has also received several hateful and threatening letters this year, which the association that is the site's curator said has left the community fearful.
NSW Police increased patrols around mosques, other religious sites and community events during Ramadan.
Earlier this month, Albanese visited the Lakemba Ramadan Night Markets with his wife Jodie and Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek.
9news.com.au has contacted Albanese and Burke for comment.
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