A young woman has lashed out at the ‘shameful’ behaviour of ‘eshay’ men at the Ramadan night markets in , arguing there needs to be a women-only version.
Waad Taha, 23, said in a TikTok video she was horrified by the gross behaviour of men towards women at the Ramadan night markets in Sydney.
‘I just can’t with the youth of Sydney,’ she said. ‘I’m actually scarred.’
‘[Girls] were wearing a jumper that could potentially cover their bums.
‘But they were literally lifting the the jumper up.’
Ms Taha said guys were asking girls for interviews and to appear on their social media, branding them ‘eshays’.
‘It’s disgusting and it’s shameful,’ she said.
‘[There’s] nothing to go to in Ramadan, we can’t actually indulge in the nice food.’
Ms Taha said the anti-social behaviour is ruining night markets and highlighted that some people ‘actually go there for the food, and not to do laps’.
‘Someone make a girls-only one,’ she said. ‘I’ll be the first one that goes.’
Sydneysiders slammed Ramadan night markets in the city after they had similar experiences.
‘Unfortunately it turned into fitna market shame,’ on user wrote, referencing the word for strife or a trial.
‘I’m not even Muslim and I was so embarrassed for the girls there,’ another said.
‘My sister was wearing tights and we went in a store and bought an abaya for respect.’
One commenter said: ‘Yeah it’s embarrassing, hey… I agree with you 100 per cent.’
Night markets are regularly held across the city, starting at dusk and opening the doors to Sydneysiders when the working day is over.
During Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer and community in the Islamic calendar, some suburbs with high populations of the Muslim community hold celebratory night markets.
Ms Taha tags Lakemba in her TikTok, which hosts a ‘Lakemba Nights’ market during Ramadan.
At least 60 per cent of the Lakemba community is Muslim, according to the 2021 census, and the 2024 market drew a crowd of 1.5million attendees.
Daily Mail has contacted the market’s organiser, the City Council of Canterbury and Bankstown, for comment.
Ms Taha also tags Auburn which hosts a Ramadan Street Food Festival. Daily Mail has reached out for comment.