Australian PM Albanese booed at Bondi Beach vigil for Hanukkah attack victims

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed by attendees at the Bondi Beach vigil Sunday honoring victims of the Hanukkah-week attack, a moment that underscored the volatile mix of grief, politics and security in Australia. The event drew an estimated 10,000 mourners, including members of the Jewish community and several Australian politicians, who gathered along the scenic shoreline to remember those killed when a father and son opened fire in the popular beach area.

David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, addressed the crowd as Albanese stood nearby with other officials. Ossip said, "This has to be the nadir of antisemitism in our country," a line that drew a chorus of murmurs and frustrated responses from some in the crowd. The moment illustrated the sensitivity surrounding a government facing accusations from Jewish leaders and Israeli officials that it did not do enough to curb rising antisemitism in Australia prior to the attack.

The mood shifted when opposition leader Sussan Ley was mentioned from the podium; Ley was cheered by portions of the crowd. Ley has said that a coalition government under her leadership would reverse a decision by Albanese’s government to recognize a Palestinian state, a policy linked by opponents to broader tensions over Israel and antisemitism in Australia. The scene at Bondi Beach reflected a broader political debate about how Australia should balance its diplomatic posture toward Israel and the Palestinian territories with domestic concerns about antisemitism and security.

The attack itself, on December 14, left 15 people dead and dozens injured. The shooters were a father–son duo, with the father killed during the assault. The son, Naveed Akram, 24, woke from a coma after sustaining severe injuries and faces charges of murder and terrorism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted a letter he had sent to Albanese earlier in the year when Australia announced it would recognize a Palestinian state. Netanyahu argued that move "pours fuel on the antisemitic fire" and said the Australian government did not do enough to stop the spread of antisemitism.

In the wake of the attack, Australian authorities announced the detention of seven men in unrelated operations tied to counterterrorism investigations as the country laid the youngest Bondi Beach victim to rest. The broader investigation and the political reaction raised questions about how much progress has been made since the attack and what steps will be taken to address antisemitism and security in a country that has long prided itself on religious pluralism.

The memorial at Bondi Beach occurred amid a tense public moment for Australia. Advocates called for accountability from political leadership, while some mourners sought reassurance that communities at risk would be protected. The day underscored a persistent challenge for Australian society: confronting antisemitism in the post-attack environment without politicizing the grief shared by victims’ families and friends. As investigators pursue leads and authorities outline new security measures, the road ahead for policy and public sentiment remains uncertain, with the memory of the victims driving calls for concrete action against antisemitism and for clarity in Australia’s approach to Israel and the Palestinian state.