A 50-year-old man has been charged after allegedly launching a racist and Islamophobic verbal tirade at a 13-year-old Muslim schoolgirl on a bus in inner-western Sydney. Footage of the incident, which occurred after the girl reportedly intervened to defend another girl in a hijab who was being secretly photographed, was shared online and prompted an outpouring of condemnation from politicians and community figures. The case has renewed concern about rising Islamophobic abuse in Australia, particularly attacks targeting children and young people.

The video, filmed on 10 September, shows the man calling the Year 8 student, known as Janna, a "f***ing terrorist" and "immigrant dog" among other slurs, despite her telling him she was born in Australia and reminding him of her age. Passengers and the girl reported the abuse to police after leaving the bus at Strathfield Railway Station, and the man was arrested in Greenacre on Tuesday, charged with stalking and intimidation, and refused bail ahead of a court appearance in Bankstown. NSW Premier Chris Minns and local MP Jason Yat-sen Li both condemned the alleged attack, while Islamophobia Envoy Aftab Malik noted a trend of younger victims being targeted.