Residents have accused a north Melbourne Council of being insensitive and inflammatory after approving a permit for a mosque to be built next to an Assyrian Church.
Members of St Mary's Ancient Church of the East in Coolaroo say a mosque in such close proximity to their church will result in re-triggered trauma and a volatile worshiping environment.
They say their church community is made up of refugees who survived persecution as religious minorities in war torn Iraq.
Australian Christians Senate candidate Vicki Janson says the Council hasn't considered the mental health of local residents.
"They've come to seek refugee in Australia, they're not against mosques per se but you know anybody who is involved in torture and trauma and so-forth knows that there are triggers to trauma," Ms Janson says.
"And to have the sights and sounds of things associated with what will be going on next door happening, it will be a trigger. And some of the members of the church, the women particularly, will just be too frightened to go to church."
In a report Hume Council said the location of the mosque is not provocative and that Islamic communities also have a right to freedom of expression.
Executive Director of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Mohamad Tabbaa says the campaign against the development of the mosque is Islamophobic.
"Why would such assumptions be made about a group of people whom haven't even started to worship or anything," says Mr Tabbaa.
"Why would a claim of violence be made about a place of worship in the first place. It's inherently Islamophobic and offensive to make those remarks."
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