Sydney's Al Madina Dawah Centre, a prayer hall linked to radical preacher Wissam Haddad, has been permanently shut down. The centre's closure comes after a council investigation found it was operating illegally, as it was only approved to function as a medical centre. The owners issued a statement announcing the closure, citing recent surveillance indicating the premises was being used contrary to its intended purpose. This isn't the first time Haddad's influence has led to a venue's closure. In 2023, he was ordered to shut down unauthorized prayer meetings at a venue on Eldon Street in Georges Hall, which was only approved to operate as a gym. The NSW Premier, Chris Minns, praised the permanent closure as evidence that new measures to crack down on unauthorized public places of worship will be effective. He highlighted the difficulty in identifying and closing down such venues, emphasizing the need for stronger laws and fines to combat hate preachers and their 'factories of hate'. The Al Madina Dawah Centre's new management insisted Haddad held no authority at the centre, only attending as a guest speaker. However, Haddad's association with the Bondi terrorist Naveed Akram and his breach of the Racial Discrimination Act for antisemitic lectures in July have raised concerns. The centre's closure is a significant step in addressing the challenges posed by unauthorized religious gatherings and the potential for hate speech.
