The wife of Australian Test cricket star Usman Khawaja has publicly revealed that their young daughters have been subjected to a torrent of vile online abuse in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, with trolls targeting the family because of Khawaja's Muslim faith.
A Wave of Hate Following Tragedy
Rachel Khawaja shared a collection of the horrific comments directed at the family, which have intensified since the shocking attack at the famous Sydney beach. The alleged shooters, father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, have been accused of having links to the extremist terrorist organisation Islamic State, an association that has, according to Rachel, heightened anti-Islamic sentiments in Australia.
Usman Khawaja, born in Islamabad, Pakistan, and raised in Sydney from the age of five, has been an open advocate for his faith and a vocal opponent of Islamophobia throughout his international cricket career. He has frequently spoken about the abuse faced by Muslim athletes and championed greater understanding and inclusion in sport.
"I've collected a small sample size of some of the comments we have received over the past week," Rachel Khawaja posted online. "I would love to say this is new, but sadly we have always received these kind of messages. But of course, they have gotten worse."
Abuse Extends to Young Children
The abuse, which Rachel described as nothing new but markedly worse post-Bondi, has extended to their daughters, Aisha and Ayla. Among the shocking comments were vile slurs calling the girls 'future school blasters' and claiming they had 'cancer terr***** blood'. Numerous other messages told the family to 'go home' to Pakistan.
In her post, Rachel also shared reactions to the Bondi attack from political figures including One Nation's Pauline Hanson, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie. She included a statement from the Jewish Council of Australia calling for unity and an end to antisemitism and racism in the community.
"It is important now more than ever that we continue to come together and stay united," Rachel urged. "Whether it's standing up against antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism, we shouldn't stand for any of it."
Khawaja's Response and Past Advocacy
Following the Bondi massacre, which left at least 15 people dead at a Chanukah event, Usman Khawaja took to Instagram to express his grief. He posted a heartfelt message, calling the events "truly devastating" and offering his "thoughts and prayers to all affected." He emphasised there was "no room whatsoever for these hate crimes." Khawaja also shared a post from the Jewish Council of Australia, which expressed horror at the shooting.
This incident is the latest in a series where Khawaja has used his platform to make political statements focused on human rights. During the 2023 Test series against Pakistan, he attempted to display messages such as 'All lives are equal' and 'Freedom is a human right' on his shoes. The International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled these breached regulations on personal messages, prohibiting political, religious, or personal statements on playing equipment. Cricket Australia supported compliance with ICC rules while respecting Khawaja's right to express personal views outside of match play.
The targeting of Khawaja's family underscores a disturbing trend of hate speech flourishing in the aftermath of national tragedies, impacting even the children of public figures who advocate for tolerance and unity.
