I went to the Ramadan evening markets in Australia and this modification must occur NOW – after eshays ruined it for everybody

A young woman has lashed out at the ‘shameful’ behaviour of male eshays at Sydney’s Ramadan night markets, and called for a women-only version.

Waad Taha, 23, said in a TikTok video she was horrified by the gross behaviour toward women at the Ramadan night markets in Sydney. 

‘I just can’t with the youth of Sydney,’ she said. ‘I’m actually scarred.’

Ms Taha said she had seen young women at the markets wearing disrepectfully revealing clothes which failed to meet traditional Muslim standards.

She said it it was breach of the modesty rules which the Muslim community are expected to follow during the celebration period. 

‘[Girls] were wearing a jumper that could potentially cover their bums,’ she said. ‘But they were literally lifting the jumper up.’

Ms Taha said ‘eshays’ were asking girls for interviews and to appear on their social media.

‘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.’ 

Commenters on the video said they had similar experiences.

‘Unfortunately it turned into fitna market shame,’ one user wrote, using the Arabic 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.’ 

During Ramadan there are several night markets across Sydney, where members of Muslim communities can end their dawn-to-dusk fasting and religious observance to have a social gathering.

Waad Taha (not pictured) said anti-social behaviour from young Sydneysiders is ruining night markets (stock image)

In her TikTok post, Ms Taha tagged Lakemba, the western Sydney suburb that 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 Australia has contacted the market’s organiser, the City Council of Canterbury and Bankstown, for comment.

Ms Taha also tagged Auburn which hosts a Ramadan Street Food Festival. Daily Mail has reached out for comment.