Racist graffiti hits Sydney suburb

Ryde anti-Muslim graffiti

Race hate has taken a turn for the worse in Ryde, with anti-Muslim and Asian messages defacing a series of properties linked to tenants of ethnic origin.

The walls, fences and streets of Ryde and Putney have been sprayed with anti-Muslim slogans, while even the laundry of one house owned by Liem Nguyen was daubed with anti-Asian sentiments. Mr Liem owns two of the three properties in Charles St, Ryde, which were tagged with racist and religious statements.

A nearby bus stop on Victoria Rd, opposite St Charles Church, was also hit with anti-Muslim statements as was the footpath in Charles St, opposite the church.

This vandalism adds to a long list of shocking racially-fuelled attacks in the northern district, including two verbal and physical assaults still under investigation by Gladesville Police

The slogans “Ban Islam” and “Muslims Out” were plastered on the wall of Mr Liem’s property. And in a more shocking twist, the laundry at another property he owns on the same street in Putney was sprayed with anti-Asian slogans including “Asians out of Australia”.

Mr Liem said he was “upset” that such a thing could happen in a multicultural city like Ryde. “Years ago, when I was a teenager, you used to hear about it. Now it is unacceptable, but obviously this person is quite sick in the head.”

Northern District Times, 1 October 2013