Mum-of-four’s Manningham home in Melbourne defaced with vile anti-Muslim graffiti – here’s why she thinks she was targeted

A woman was shocked to discover her home had been targeted with sickening Islamophobic graffiti.

Rita Manessis, 53, discovered the graffiti in the driveway of her home in Manningham, Melbourne’s northeast, on Thursday evening.

As the mother-of-four took out her bins, she smelled paint and saw the disgusting messages, ‘Go away, Muslim c*** and ‘Death to Palestine’,’ spray-painted in her driveway.

Next to the slogans were several hand-drawn swastikas.

The mother of four believes she could have been targeted because she placed “Free Palestine” stickers and posters on the facade of her house and her car.

Ms Manessis, who is not Muslim, immediately called the police.

She told the ABC she was shocked but was “a bit numb to it at the moment.”

Local Manningham community group Menzies for Palestine believes Ms Manessis’ property was attacked between 10.30pm and 11.30pm on Thursday evening.

Ms Manessis believes she could have been targeted because she put ‘Free Palestine’ stickers and posters on the front of her house and on her car

Federal MP for Menzies, Keith Wolahan MP (pictured), called the graffiti attack ‘reprehensible’

The group stated in a social media post: ‘Menzies for Palestine condemns in the strongest terms the reprehensible act of hate speech and vandalism committed against a resident of Manningham.’

“It is crucial to note that the residents are not of Palestinian, Muslim or Arab descent, yet they have been subjected to harassment and intimidation solely because of their support of the Palestinian cause.”

Federal MP for Menzies, Keith Wolahan MP, called the graffiti attack ‘reprehensible’.

‘I have contacted the local police, who are investigating.

‘The line between the legitimate expression of highly charged emotions and ugly hatred looks like this. That line applies to all religions.’

The Islamaphobia Register Australia, an organization “committed to monitoring and combating Islamophobia in Australia,” said in a statement that it “continues to see a worrying increase in Islamophobic incidents compared to pre-October 7, 2023 levels.”

‘The Register previously reported on October 23, 2023 that reports of Islamophobia had increased tenfold, followed a month later by a thirteenfold increase.

‘Unfortunately, the number of incidents reported to the Register has continued to rise at an alarming rate since then.

“In the same period after October 7, we have seen an alarming 39-fold increase in the number of reported incidents on college campuses across the country.”

Victoria Police are investigating the Islamophobic graffiti incident in Manningham.

“There is absolutely no place in our society for hate-based symbols and behavior,” a police spokesperson said.

Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au