The Australian National Imams Council condemned the vicious and religiously motivated assault, calling the "cowardly attack" a disturbing reminder of the escalating danger facing visibly Muslim Australians.
Police say the pair were travelling in their car in Melbourne's southeast when they were "racially abused" by three occupants of a small black hatch along the South Gippsland Highway at 7.40pm on Saturday.
Their attackers boxed in their vehicle, hurled objects at their car, drove dangerously to intimidate them and got out of their car to assault the Imam and threaten his wife.
The victim, a 47-year-old Noble Park man, is recovering after being punched in the face during the incident, according to the national council.
"The offenders, described as men of Anglo white appearance with distinctive tattoos, exhibited behaviour and language consistent with white supremacist and extremist hate ideology, a pattern increasingly seen in Islamophobic attacks across Australia," the national council said in a public statement.
"The psychological trauma suffered by the victims is severe. No family in Australia should fear being attacked simply for their faith, appearance, or identity."
Good Samaritans intervened before the offenders allegedly returned to their vehicle and fled.
The trio was arrested in Dandenong South on Sunday.
A 23-year-old Cranbourne North man and 22-year-old Cranbourne East man have been charged with criminal damage and common law assault.
The Cranbourne North man was remanded in custody to appear at Dandenong Magistrates' Court on Monday.
The Cranbourne East man was bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates' Court on May 22.
An 18-year-old Dandenong South woman was released pending summons.
"There is absolutely no place for prejudice-motivated, religious based or hate-based behaviour in our society and such activity will not be tolerated," Victoria Police said in a statement on Monday.
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