I, like many across Australia, was glued to my laptop, TV, radio and mobile yesterday as news of Sydney being under siege came to light. I messaged friends who I knew worked in the area and waited anxiously until I knew they were home safe. I refreshed my web browser constantly to ensure my ‘live’ feed was up to date and I was even poised at the ready like some sort of needy journalist as Prime Minister Tony Abbott [briefly] spoke at his initial press conference. One thing I didn’t do, again like many across Australia, was start pointing the finger.

The myriad of anti-Islamic clicktivists that flooded social media yesterday was both heartbreaking and shortsighted, and then something amazing happened. One woman said four simple words and started a worldwide campaign.

Sydney Facebook user Rachael Jacobs noticed a woman at a train station take off her hijab as she stepped off the train. Rachael ran after the woman and told her to put it back on, as she would walk with her. It has now gone viral with hundreds of thousands of social media users posting using the hashtag #illridewithyou, outlining that they will ride public transport with Muslim people to ensure they are safe.

The campaign has since been picked up by almost every media outlet in the country and highlights how positive action can come from such tragic circumstances. It’s a shame that The Daily Telegraph didn’t follow suit when releasing their special 2pm edition.

This isn’t a #kony2012 or any other form of social media vilification, it is a country in mourning showing solidarity and support of a community who are also mourning the actions of one extreme individual.