“Bread, milk and Islamaphobia” is how Naomi Nguyen described her weekly shopping trip last Sunday to Coles at Fairy Meadow after discovering anti-halal leaflets stuffed in shelves throughout the store.
According to Ms Nguyen, the leaflets claimed halal certified products funded terrorism through the fees companies paid to religious organisations which certified foods as halal.
The leaflets were placed in different sections of the supermarket however a large number were found in front of Cadbury chocolates, a company targeted by online anti-halal campaigners for their decision to get their product certified.
Ms Nguyen said she was concerned the leaflets would make Illawarra’s Muslim community feel unwelcome in their own city and prompted her to send a letter in the Mercury.
“I felt incredibly offended and disappointed at what had become of my home town,” she wrote.
“Just wanted to let all Wollongong Muslims know that the leaflet-distributing cowards are the minority, that they will always be accepted here and can always call Wollongong home.”
After a manager was notified, Coles staff promptly removed the leaflets.
“We ran around the store to get them pulled off the shelves as quickly as we could; head office has been notified and CCTV footage is being checked,” a store manager said.
Police said they were unaware of other anti-halal demonstrations in the Illawarra.
Ms Nguyen said she was mortified at the anonymous protest.
“All I wanted to do was my weekly shop and I was mortified people would stoop so low to make leaflets,” she said.
“If you want to protest halal and Islam, show your face, don’t hide behind leaflets.”
Peace campaigner Nina Azam praised Ms Nguyen’s response after reading her letter in the Mercury.
“Real Australians say welcome, thank you for your decency and support Naomi,” she said.
Earlier this year social media pages of Samaras, a popular Wollongong Middle Eastern restaurant, were targeted by anti halal abuse.
Hours after that incident, the restaurant’s Facebook page was flooded with support from the local community which owner Omar Nemer used to create the #illeatwithyou religious harmony campaign.