A 37-year-old man from Alfredton, Victoria, has been charged after an alleged attack at an Islamic iftar dinner in Ballarat earlier this year.

Police allege the man entered a venue on Donegal Drive in Alfredton around 9:25 pm on Sunday, March 8, 2026, where he made abusive remarks and assaulted attendees. He was detained by people at the venue until police arrived.

The man faces charges including making threats to kill, threatening physical harm on the grounds of a protected attribute, assaulting people attending a religious assembly, unlawful assault, and disturbing a religious assembly. The charge related to threatening physical harm on the grounds of a protected attribute is linked to new vilification laws introduced by the Victorian government in September 2025, which make it illegal to incite or threaten based on attributes such as race, gender identity, or sex.

He is scheduled to appear at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court in September 2026.

Sources