Bondi vigil marks one week after mass shooting as security tightens
Police snipers stationed on rooftops and a heavy security presence ring Bondi Beach for a Hanukkah vigil at 6:47 p.m. AEDT, as Australia observes a week of remembrance and contemplates hate-speech and anti-extremism measures.
A week after the mass shooting at a Bondi Beach festival that claimed 15 lives, a vigil was held Sunday evening at the iconic Sydney beach as police positioned snipers on rooftops and a heavy security presence surrounded the event. Police riot squads, camouflage-clad officers with balaclavas, and mounted police were seen overseeing the Bondi vigil, which was scheduled for 6:47 p.m. AEDT—the exact time the shootings occurred last Sunday. Health nurses were on hand to assist attendees who may be struggling with the emotional toll of the event.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the additional measures were not an indication of a heightened security alert, stressing that the security arrangement aimed to keep attendees safe while allowing the community to come together to remember the victims and support one another. Tonight’s vigil coincided with the final night of Hanukkah, and faith leaders urged participation in lighting the festival’s candles as a symbol of resilience and unity.
Rabbi Eli Feldman, who has comforted hundreds at Bondi Pavilion in the days since the shooting, urged the nation to embrace the tenets of Hanukkah and to light the eighth candle as a public display that light can overcome darkness. NSW Governor-General Sam Mostyn described the day of reflection as the start of a national healing project based on acts of kindness, saying Australia is seen as a beacon of peace where everyone belongs.
Thousands of flowers and tributes have been laid at Bondi Pavilion in the days since the massacre, though the local council said it would begin removing the material on Monday. People were invited to light a candle and observe a minute of silence at 6:47 p.m., a moment Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said would honor the 15 Australians who were killed. Albanese planned to visit Bondi Pavilion for the first time since the day after the massacre amid criticism from some in the Jewish community over perceived government action on antisemitic incidents.
Analysts noted a mixed reception to the prime minister’s attendance, while NSW Premier Chris Minns defended proposed hate-speech legislation due to pass in state parliament before Christmas as necessary to curb extremist rhetoric. The laws would ban slogans such as 'globalise the intifada' and are aimed at preventing violent incitement online from translating into real-world violence. Minns also said he would move to ban hate symbols, including flags associated with extremist groups, from streets and homes. Police said investigators found home-made flags tied to Islamic State in a vehicle linked to one of the gunmen who opened fire on the Jewish worshippers.
Separately, NSW has announced a royal commission into the massacre, while federal Labor counterparts have resisted calls for a national inquiry. The development comes as authorities seek to balance public mourning with broader efforts to address antisemitism and hate speech in the aftermath of the attack.