'Small gesture from big hearts': Muslim youth donate blood to help Flinders Street victims

Young Muslims came together on Friday to show support for Flinders Street victims and their families, by donating blood.

Ahmadiyya Muslim youth donating blood in Melbourne.Source: Twitter - Ahmadiyya Muslim VIC

Ahmadiyya Muslim youth donating blood in Melbourne. Source: Twitter - Ahmadiyya Muslim VIC

On Thursday a driver crashed into pedestrians in Melbourne's city center, leaving nineteen people injured. 

The incident resulted in an outpouring of support for the victims and their families. 

Since the incident on Flinders Street, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Victoria have come forward to condemn it.

The group has also banded together to donate blood for the victims. 

Attending a Melbourne blood bank, the group wore matching t-shirts that read 'say no to extremism'.

Soofi Aziz from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Victoria said he was saddened to hear about the incident.

“I felt that not again, another terror incident that’s taken place in Melbourne, since the Bourke St incident,” he said.

Once the initial shock had passed, his thoughts soon turned to how he could help his community. 

“It’s just a normal thing to do, beyond just a moral thing it is also a religious obligation for Muslims like us to condemn any act of violence and terror,” he said.

Nationwide group Muslims Down Under has also come forward to condemn the incident.




“Any deliberate act to harm another being, regardless of religion or race is against humanity,” the group said in a statement.

“At this moment in time, we believe it is important for us to stand in solidarity as Australians and not let any differences create division.

“We understand that there are a lot of anti-Muslim sentiments being expressed on social media at the moment due to misinformation regarding the religion of Islam. We encourage open dialogue and conversation to remove any misunderstandings.”

Victoria Police have said while there don’t appear to be any links to extremism, the accused made reference to “voices” and “mistreatment of Muslims”.

The motive for the incident is still being investigated.


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By Samantha Jonscher

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