Protests held outside Sydney mosque

Pro- and anti-Islamic groups on Friday held protests outside a mosque in Australia's Sydney city, a week after a 15-year-old worshipper fatally shot a police employee in the area.

Farhad Jabar had on October 2 shot dead police accountant Curtis Cheng outside the New South Wales Police headquarters.

Police said Jabar went to the Parramatta Mosque where he changed into a black robe before carrying out the attack, ABC reported.

Officers shot dead Jabar.

The riot squad and mounted police maintained an exclusion zone to keep the two groups at opposite ends of the block.

On one side, a small anti-Islamic group of about 20 people gathered calling for the mosque to be shut down. Metres away, the second group of about 50 people stood with signs supporting the Muslim community.

Several other members of the mosque had their homes raided and four men were arrested this week by police investigating the shooting. An 18-year-old remains in custody and is being questioned by police.