The Sydney hostage crisis spurred a public display of support for Muslim Australians

Local authorities and news outlets are piecing together the details of the Sydney siege, where a man took multiple people hostages at a Lindt cafe in Sydney for 16 hours. The hostage-taker was reportedly a self-proclaimed Muslim cleric with a violent criminal record named Man Haron Monis. In the midst of the turmoil came a show of solidarity from Australians looking to preemptively fight "Islamophobic" backlash to the hostage crisis.

As the siege was still happening, one woman named Rachael Jacobs posted an experience she had with a woman removing her hijab while sitting next to her on the train.

This, this is what good people do. #sydneyseige #MartinPlace pic.twitter.com/zxbHLWzxEp

— Michael James (@MichaelJames_TV) December 15, 2014

Another woman saw Jacobs' message reposted on Twitter and was inspired to start a hashtag campaign.

If you reg take the #373 bus b/w Coogee/MartinPl, wear religious attire, & don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride with you. @ me for schedule.

— Sir Tessa (@sirtessa) December 15, 2014

Maybe start a hashtag? What’s in #illridewithyou?

— Sir Tessa (@sirtessa) December 15, 2014

The hashtag quickly went viral as Australians in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and other cities began tweeting their support.

Public transport + racial harmony = my kind of campaign #illridewithyou pic.twitter.com/qHJhhY8sPI

— Sudhvir Singh (@sudhvir) December 15, 2014

I was going to drive to work tomorrow but seeing the outpouring of support changed my mind. #illridewithyou Thank you. See you on the train!

— Ozge Sevindik (@OzgeSevindik) December 15, 2014

If you need someone to ride the train with you - I'm in Potts Point and #illridewithyou - #sydneysiege

— Alex Bouchet (@AlexBouchet) December 15, 2014

It's #Melbourne, and I'm funemployed. But if you're Muslim + worried about hassles on ye commute post #sydneysiege #illridewithyou HMU

— reubenacciano (@reubenacciano) December 15, 2014

If you wear religious attire, & need to get from #Adelaide's west suburbs to the city on Tues but don't want to travel alone #illridewithyou

— Sharna Bremner (@sharnatweets) December 15, 2014

Thanks for protecting my sisters #illridewithyou pic.twitter.com/Qy9l0lN1qB

— Angger Prawitasari (@anggerwitasari) December 15, 2014

Here's a look at the growth of the hashtag, which at publishing time is trending worldwide, in real time: