The hashtag #illridewithyou is trending worldwide today as Australians have reached out to support the Muslim community as the Sydney siege hostage crisis has continued throughout the day and night. The hashtag took on a life of its own after it is believed that Twitter user Sir Tessa kicked off the campaign. It has since been trending throughout Sydney and other major Australian cities as commuters and other users of public transport have been offering their support to people who wear religious clothing but may be too nervous to go out in public. Australian Rachel Jacobs wrote on Facebook “and the (presumably) Muslim woman sitting next to me on the train silently removes her hijab,” as the news broke. “I ran after her at the train station. I said, ‘put it back on, I’ll walk with u (sic). She started to cry and hugged me for about a minute – then walked off alone.” According to the Press Association, lawyer Mariam Veiszadeh was in a conference when news of the siege broke and that she broke down in tears when she heard that there was a possibility of an Islamic link. “I said, I’m sorry, and I know it’s obvious, but I need to say these lunatics don’t represent my faith,” she stated, before adding that the Twitter movement was ‘heartwarming’.

Thanks for protecting my sisters #illridewithyou pic.twitter.com/Qy9l0lN1qB — Angger Prawitasari (@anggerwitasari) December 15, 2014

 

Personally think spontaneous social support like #illridewithyou does more to prevent extremism than alarmism of pundits and security wonks — Peter Jukes (@peterjukes) December 15, 2014

 

CHOOSE LOVE. EVERY TIME. #LoveNotHate #illridewithyou — Luke Mitchell (@LukeMitchell__) December 15, 2014

 

Australians offer to go with Muslim Australians in public places if they fear racist backlash #illridewithyou So much better than bigotry — Julian Burnside (@JulianBurnside) December 15, 2014

 

#illridewithyou We can even share my headphones if you're into that kind of thing. Let LOVE prevail. Hoping the morning brings some light. X — PETER HELLIAR (@pjhelliar) December 15, 2014

 

Missing my city tonight & so proud of #illridewithyou The haters have the volume. The lovers have the numbers jx pic.twitter.com/KyX3UuULZU — Julia Morris (@Ladyjmo) December 15, 2014

 

The #illridewithyou campaign makes you feel truly proud to be an Australian. Let's greet all Muslim citizens tomorrow with a smile. — Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) December 15, 2014

 

Thanks Rachael Jacobs & @sirtessa for proving that love isn't just more beautiful than hate, it's also more imaginative #IllRideWithYou — Andrew Leigh (@ALeighMP) December 15, 2014

 

#illridewithyou because together the journey is more fun. That, friends, is our victory: one haters will never know. pic.twitter.com/tuIzHWLNZj — St Comrade Badhamus (@vanbadham) December 15, 2014

If #SydneySiege is the worst of humanity, then #illridewithyou is the best of it. Now THAT is how you respond to hatred. — Renee Pope-Munro (@RenInOz) December 15, 2014

 

If you wear religious attire, & need to get from #Adelaide's westsuburbs to the city on Tues but don't want to travel alone #illridewithyou” — Clara Collin (@msclaracollin) December 15, 2014

 

The world should come and see This is #Australia. This is the Humanity & Love you heard about. #illridewithyou 65000 Tweets within 3 hours. — Arif (@Atozai) December 15, 2014

 

Practical thing: I've made a temporary sticker for my bag so people who need me can spot me #illridewithyou pic.twitter.com/aVldEn9wVU — Kristen Boschma (@Kristen_Boschma) December 15, 2014