Bondi Beach Memorial Draws Thousands to Honor Attack Victims

In a moving display of solidarity, thousands converged on Sydney’s Bondi Beach Sunday evening to mourn the 15 lives lost a week prior in an antisemitic attack targeting a Jewish festival. The large gathering took place under heightened security, as the nation grapples with the tragedy and its implications. The deadly incident has spurred Australian authorities into renewed efforts to combat antisemitism and reinforce the country's already stringent gun laws.

The commemoration drew a host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, former Prime Ministers John Howard and Scott Morrison, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn, representing King Charles III. Over 10,000 individuals attended the service.

During the memorial, New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies President David Ossip addressed the crowd, stating, “This has to represent the lowest point of antisemitism in our nation. Let this be the moment when light overcomes darkness.”

While Ossip acknowledged Prime Minister Albanese's presence, the crowd responded with boos. In contrast, Opposition leader Sussan Ley, who vowed to reverse the current government’s recognition of a Palestinian state, was met with cheers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been critical of Albanese's stance following the attack, asserting that calls for a Palestinian state are fueling antisemitism. Netanyahu has consistently linked the rising tide of antisemitism worldwide to both calls for a Palestinian state and condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza after the Hamas attack in 2023.

Across Australia, people joined the Sydney community in remembrance by lighting candles at 6:47 p.m., the time the attack unfolded, and observing a minute of silence. Television and radio networks also paused their broadcasts as a mark of respect.

To honor the victims, whose ages ranged from 10 to 87, images were projected during the service. A rendition of “Waltzing Matilda” paid tribute to the youngest victim, whose Ukrainian parents chose the quintessential Australian name for their daughter.

Ahmed al Ahmed, hailed as a hero for his bravery during the massacre, shared a message of support from his hospital bed. The Syrian-born immigrant was wounded after disarming one of the shooters.

“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. Today I stand with you, my brothers and sisters,” he wrote.

His father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, was invited to light a candle on the menorah, the Jewish candelabrum, on the last night of Hanukkah. The federal and New South Wales governments designated Sunday as a national Day of Reflection, marking the worst mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Tasmania tragedy that claimed 35 lives.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Albanese announced a review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the wake of the attack, which drew inspiration from the Islamic State group. Meanwhile, at the Bondi Pavilion, where a growing memorial of flowers and messages has taken shape, Indigenous leaders conducted a traditional smoking ceremony on Sunday morning. The memorial site is scheduled to be cleared on Monday.

Governor-General Mostyn participated in a gesture organized by the National Council of Jewish Women, inviting women of all faiths to lay flowers at the memorial Sunday morning. Hundreds of women and girls, wearing white, joined her. Subsequently, she conveyed a message from King Charles III, expressing that he and Queen Camilla were “appalled and saddened by the most dreadful antisemitic attack on Jewish people the Hanukah celebration on Bondi Beach.”

Security measures were visibly heightened around Bondi Beach on Sunday, with increased police presence, including officers carrying rifles. Criticism has been directed at the initial police response last week, as officers were equipped only with Glock pistols, lacking the range of the assailants' weapons. Two officers sustained critical injuries during the attack.

Flags flew at half-staff on the Sydney Harbor Bridge and government buildings, illuminated in yellow on Sunday night as a symbol of solidarity with the Jewish community.

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, stated that the victims’ families felt “tragically, unforgivably let down” by the government's perceived failure to address the rise in antisemitism since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023.

In the wake of the attack, federal and state leaders convened an emergency meeting, committing to strengthen national gun laws, including limits on the number of firearms an individual can possess. Sajid Akram, one of the shooters, legally owned six guns, including the weapons used in the Bondi massacre.

New South Wales parliament is scheduled to convene on Monday to debate new draft laws concerning hate speech and gun control.

Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder in relation to those wounded. Sajid Akram, 50, was killed at the scene by police. The Health Department reported that 13 individuals wounded in the attack remained hospitalized in Sydney on Sunday.