A Melbourne father of three is fortunate to be alive after a harrowing assault near his local mosque, an incident that has sent shockwaves through the community and ignited urgent discussions about the concerning rise of anti-Muslim sentiment. Samir Raghbat, 43, credits his oversized puffer jacket with saving his life when two men allegedly attempted to kill him following evening prayers.

The brutal attack unfolded on June 24 in a Hampton Park car park, just metres from Mr. Raghbat's mosque in Melbourne's south-east. Authorities are currently investigating the precise circumstances surrounding the incident, which saw Mr. Raghbat subjected to a barrage of punches, kicks, and even a knife strike.

A Narrow Escape from Hate

Mr. Raghbat recounts approaching a group of men he observed leaving rubbish strewn across the car park, questioning their actions. This seemingly innocuous interaction quickly escalated into a heated argument before the men allegedly set upon him. During the assault, Mr. Raghbat claims one of his attackers repeatedly asked, "Are you Muslim?" When he affirmed his faith, the other assailant reportedly instructed, "Kill him."

What Mr. Raghbat described as a makeshift, icepick-like knife was then lunged towards him. Miraculously, the blade missed his body by a mere inch, instead piercing his thick jacket. "God blessed me... my jacket saved me. I swear, and I don't even wear it often," a shaken Mr. Raghbat stated, still reeling from the close call. He was wearing an Islamic thobe, a traditional garment, beneath his jacket.

Witnesses describe Mr. Raghbat bravely defending himself against his attackers. However, the onslaught intensified, leading Mr. Raghbat to fear for his life. "It was the end," he recalled, pleading with his assailants to stop. He vividly remembers one man shaking his neck, causing him to repeatedly cry out, "I can't breathe." Surveillance footage reportedly shows two men repeatedly punching and kicking Mr. Raghbat before onlookers intervened, prompting the attackers to flee the scene.

Physical and Emotional Scars

Following the ordeal, Mr. Raghbat was admitted to Dandenong Hospital, suffering from significant facial bruising, leg and back injuries, and profound emotional distress. The physical toll was so severe that his own daughter reportedly did not recognise him upon his return home, running away in tears. Mr. Raghbat has been left with a lasting mark on his back from the near-miss of the blade, a constant reminder of the trauma. "I am very sad... I don't feel safe in the community," he expressed, deeply distraught that such an attack could occur in Australia.

Community Outcry and Rising Islamophobia

The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) has vehemently condemned the attack, labelling it both violent and appalling. "No-one should fear for their safety simply for answering the call to prayer," remarked Mohamed Mohideen, President of the ICV. "The circumstances of this attack, a worshipper set upon as he came to pray, are deeply distressing for Muslim Victorians. Anti-Muslim hatred is real, it is rising, and it has consequences for people's safety in their own neighbourhoods."

This incident comes amidst growing alarm within the Muslim community regarding escalating anti-Muslim hostility across Australia. Recent research from the Tackling Hate Lab, which analysed over one million online posts and hundreds of anti-Muslim incidents between 2023 and 2026, reveals a stark increase in online anti-Muslim hate.

• Before October 2023, anti-Muslim hate averaged 18.2 hateful posts per day.
• From October 7, 2023 (sparking the war in Gaza) to March 22, 2025, this average surged more than sixfold to 121.3 posts per day.
• In the month following a significant terrorist attack in Bondi on December 14, 2025, anti-Muslim hate escalated even further, increasing more than ninefold from the previous month's average of 205.6 posts per day to approximately 1,917.9.
• On the day of the Bondi attack itself, anti-Muslim hate peaked at 7,786 posts, with identity attacks targeting Muslims also rising into the thousands.

The Challenge of Under-Reporting

The ICV's Islamophobia Support Service has also documented a significant jump in reported anti-Muslim incidents. Their 2026 report, "Anti-Muslim Racism in Victoria: Trends, Impact, Action," indicates a 650 per cent rise in reported cases from 2021 to 2025. In 2025 alone, from January to September, reported cases more than tripled, marking a 229 per cent increase, alongside 13,145 online hate comments and posts across social media documented in the same year.

These figures, however, are believed to represent only a fraction of the true scale of incidents, as many Muslims choose not to come forward due to fear, distrust, or emotional fatigue. Islamophobia Register Australia, a peak reporting body, confirms that under-reporting remains one of the most significant challenges in effectively responding to anti-Muslim hate.

Aishah Ali, Executive Director of Islamophobia Register Australia, noted a dramatic increase in reports: "We received an average of 2.53 cases reported per week before October 7, 2023, and following October 7, 2023, this increased to an average of 18.97 cases per week, which has been sustained until now." In total, the register has received 2,618 reports since October 7, 2023, signifying an almost 650 per cent increase nationally from the previous year.

To combat this pervasive issue, Australia's Office of the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia recently launched a national awareness campaign. The Special Envoy highlighted that these incidents are "becoming increasingly brazen, outlandish and violent," underscoring the urgent need for community vigilance and robust reporting mechanisms to ensure the safety and inclusion of all residents.