Australians have taken to social media in solidarity with the country’s Muslim community to counter concern about an anti-Muslim backlash after the events of the Sydney siege.
The movement appears to have come from a Facebook post from a woman who was riding on a train in Sydney, who noticed a Muslim woman quietly take off her head covering.
The woman said: “No, if you want to wear it, then wear it. I’ll walk with you.”
Another woman took to Twitter and wrote: “If you reg take the bus b/w Coogee/Martin PL, wear religious attire, &don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride withyou. @me for schedule.”
The woman, Twitter user @sirtessa, then suggested “maybe start a hashtag? What’s in #illridewithyou?”
The hashtag trended globally on Twitter rapidly and in response, Australia’s race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane said he was heartened by the campaign adding, “let’s not allow fear, hatred and division to triumph.”
#illridewithyou is trending worldwide on Twitter, rising by hundreds of tweets per minute since it began.
We’re proud of you Australia. During very sad times like these it is important that we become more united than ever.
Here are some of the tweets that started it all.
If you reg take the #373 bus b/w Coogee/MartinPl, wear religious attire, & don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride with you. @ me for schedule.
— Sir Tessa (@sirtessa) December 15, 2014
Maybe start a hashtag? What’s in #illridewithyou?
— Sir Tessa (@sirtessa) December 15, 2014
If you’re worried about public transport & racist, prejudiced abuse, people want to stand with you. Tweet #illridewithyou to find an ally.
— Amy Gray (@_AmyGray_) December 15, 2014
I will be catching from Redfern to the city tomorrow morning at 8.45ish. I will do that most days this summer and #illridewithyou. Always.
— Georgia Kriz (@georgiakriz) December 15, 2014
If you wear religious attire, & need to get from #Adelaide‘s west suburbs to the city on Tues but don’t want to travel alone #illridewithyou
— Sharna Bremner (@sharnatweets) December 15, 2014
