Australians have held a nationwide minute of silence for the victims of the deadly attack on a Jewish event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, one week after the shooting. At 18:47 local time, the exact moment the gunman opened fire, crowds at Bondi and people across the country paused to remember the 15 people killed and many others injured.
The memorial at Bondi Beach took place under heavy security, with armed riot police, cordoned off areas and a police vessel offshore, an unusual sight for many in Australia. Hundreds of people, including many from the Jewish community wearing kippas or wrapped in Australian flags, gathered to pay their respects and hear speeches after the silence.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was loudly booed as he arrived at the ceremony, reflecting deep anger among sections of the Jewish community over a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in recent months. Some in the crowd shouted “shame” and “blood on your hands,” and at least one person was tackled by police after attempting to move towards the prime minister.
Albanese appeared visibly shaken by the hostility, and his partner Jodie Haydon held his arm as he walked through the crowd. The prime minister has faced criticism from Jewish leaders and others who say authorities did not do enough to counter antisemitism before the attack, which they argue should have been anticipated.
The government has announced a review of policing and national intelligence agencies to examine how the Bondi attack happened and whether warning signs were missed. Albanese said he accepts responsibility in his role as prime minister and has pledged stronger measures to protect Jewish Australians and other vulnerable communities.
The remembrance extended beyond Sydney, with candles placed in windows across Australia as a symbol of “light over darkness.” The ceremony at Bondi ended with the lighting of a menorah, something mourners had been unable to do the previous week when the Hanukkah gathering was cut short by the attack.
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