The solitary man stood with his sign of solidarity outside a Canberra mosque in Australia. PHOTO: TWITTER
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The man, whose identity remains classified, stood outside Canberra's Yarralumla Mosque on Friday carrying a sign that read "Fellow Australians, I apologise for the religious bigots in our society, gov't and media."
The man's heartwarming gesture won praise on twitter. "Someone trying to short-circuit hate cycle of fear precipitated at the cycle of fringes," Peter Davison tweeted. "A very concerned citizen showing a great gesture to his fellow citizens," another tweet read.
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A very concerned citizen showing a great gesture to his fellow citizens outside #Canberra mosque #auspol #Australia pic.twitter.com/SJvru1EwoS
— Yas (@YasLone) September 16, 2016
At Yarralumla mosque in Canberra today. #heartMelting pic.twitter.com/nvWu3R8AEh
— المُغرِّد بأمر الله (@Legible_M) September 16, 2016
The gesture comes at a time when anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric continues to define Western politics. Right-wing politician Pauline Hanson called for a ban on Muslim immigration last week in parliament, saying that the nation was being "swamped by Muslims".
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In her speech, Hanson remained critical of the Sharia, Halal certification and specific swimming pool timings for Muslim women. She also pledged support for a ban on Muslim immigration and the construction of Muslim schools, Huffington Post reported.
In a rising trend, right-wing sentiment in the West has been gaining ground. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's declining support was showcased on Monday as the anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured an unprecedented foothold in Berlin state elections.
Merkel's party has been strongly criticised for the chancellor's open-door policy on Syrian refugees. However, she has “firmly” rejected calls to reverse her stance. “I am still convinced today that we can do it — it is our historic duty and this is a historic challenge in times of globalisation,” she said.
This article first appeared on Mashable.
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