Muslim leaders have appealed for calm following the fatal shooting of a teenage terror suspect in Melbourne.
An 18-year-old Muslim man stabbed two police officers outside Endeavour Hills police station last night before being shot dead.
At a press conference in Sydney the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, called on everyone to "exercise restraint and civility".
His words echoed by an executive member of the Australian National Imams Council, Sheik Yahya Safi.
"Sadly, in reaction to understandable fear some people have given in to abuse and victimising the innocent," Sheik Safi said.
"Community harmony should be maintained at all costs. We must not let emotions take over common sense. I call on categorical calm for all Australians."
The Grand Mufti also rejected the global fatwa issued by the self-proclaimed Islamic State, which mentions Australians.
Attacks against Muslim community
The press conference began with a statement from a Muslim community spokeswoman, who described a number of incidents targeting members of the Muslim community over the past week.
"A number of women, particularly in hijab, and children have been verbally abused and threatened," she said.
"In one case a western Sydney mother and her baby were spat on and her pram kicked. In another, a man in Perth tried to rip the scarf off a woman's head.
"Several mosques around the country have been threatened, egged, vandalised and a pig's head impaled on a cross.
"A church and a Catholic school have also been the target of hate-crimes. Several incidents have been reported of property vandalised, including cars spray-painted with threatening messages."
The Secretary of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Ghaith Krayem, told Fairfax radio many people from an Islamic faith had felt "under siege" due to the public debate surrounding IS.
But he says the entire community can help put them at ease.
"One, be mindful of the language that we use generally," he said. "Two don't be scared when you see someone walking down the street with a headscarf or a long beard. They are no different from you are."
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