MELBOURNE, Australia — A Muslim religious leader and his wife were allegedly subjected to racial abuse and a violent attack in Melbourne’s south-east, prompting condemnation from Muslim organisations and renewed concern about Islamophobia in Australia.

Victoria Police say Dr Ismet Purdic, a 47-year-old imam of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Islamic Society based in Noble Park, and his wife were driving along the South Gippsland Highway near Dandenong South on the evening of Saturday, January 10 when their vehicle was boxed in by a small black hatchback.

According to police and multiple reports, the occupants of the other vehicle hurled racial abuse at the couple — language denounced by community leaders as Islamophobic — before blocking their path and forcing their car off the road and into a nearby service station.

At the service station, the alleged abuse continued. Dr Purdic is reported to have exited his vehicle to protect his wife when he was allegedly physically assaulted, suffering a punch to the face, while his car was damaged. Good Samaritans intervened, prompting the assailants to return to their vehicle and flee the scene.

Police subsequently arrested three people in connection with the incident: a 23-year-old man from Cranbourne North and a 22-year-old man from Cranbourne East, both charged with criminal damage and common law assault, and an 18-year-old woman who was released pending summons.

Victoria Police emphasised that hate-based behaviour has no place in society, urging witnesses to come forward as investigations continue.

The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly assault” and highlighting concerns about rising Islamophobic violence against visibly Muslim individuals in Australia. Community advocates reiterated that incidents targeting people because of their faith or appearance threaten social cohesion and the safety of minority communities.

Advocates note that the alleged assault follows a pattern of reported hate-motivated incidents affecting Muslim Australians in recent years, including verbal abuse and physical attacks against Muslim women and community members. While authorities appear to be pursuing the current case, calls for stronger legal and community protections continue to resurface.

Civil liberties and human rights groups argue that incidents like this highlight broader challenges in combating religious discrimination and ensuring equal protection under the law, while still respecting Australia’s multicultural values.

The Purdic family has not publicly commented beyond confirming they are recovering following the incident, but many in the Muslim community have expressed solidarity and called for greater awareness and action to prevent future hate-based attacks.