Hashtag rallies support for Muslim-owned restaurant
A Lebanese restaurant in the Illawarra has launched a #illeatwithyou campaign after an anti-Islamic message was posted on its Facebook page.
Earlier this month the Muslim-owned restaurant received a comment on one of its Facebook photos urging people to boycott Islamic businesses.
Restaurant owner, Omar Nemer, shared the post on the social networking site to ask what people's thoughts were regarding the anti-Islamic comment.
He also asked people to 'like' the post if they believed in human rights and that everyone should be judged for their actions.
Omar was thrilled with the overall positive response the post received after it was inundated with over 1000 likes and hundreds of comments.
"Wollongong responded very well and within three hours we had over a thousand likes on the post.
"It's been a great support and it's made us all very happy to live in such a wonderful community," he said.
The "boycott Islamic businesses" comment comes in the wake of last year's social media campaign which encouraged people to boycott Cadbury chocolate because it is halal certified.
The Facebook post shedding light on the comment revived the debate about halal products and attracted negative comments as a result.
One anti-halal campaigner vowed to never support the restaurant as they believed halal had no place in a civilised society.
"Leave your horrible customs behind when you come here," is what they then went on to ask of the restaurant.
Another user was much more direct in how they perceived halal products.
"F**k halal s**t food.
"I will not allow any of my family to degrade themselves by eating terrorist grade food," they said.
What halal means
One user, unsure of what halal actually meant, posted the question.
The restaurant was quick to respond and define what halal food is.
"Halal food is A, food that is a meat that is blessed before it is killed. This is simply thanking god for giving us the opportunity to have this meat.
"And B, the animal is drained as much as possible of its blood," they said.
However, others thought they would share their own understandings of what halal was.
"Halal is just a money making scheme for moslems (sic).
"Halal certification is a tax on everyone for nothing and is worth 30 billion dollars a year worldwide.
"Money from this tax goes to middle eastern countries to fight against the west and the takeover," one user said.
Despite the negative comments, the #illeatwithyou hash tag caught on with users and the messages of support continued.
"Now that I have read this we will definitely be travelling to have a meal at your restaurant!
"Hate racism and Australia shouldn't tolerate ignorant comments like that #illeatwithyou," one customer said.
"See you on Wednesday," another user said.
Source: ABC News - 17th March 2015
