Bondi vigil marks week since mass shooting as authorities tighten security

Bondi Beach became the focal point of a vigil Sunday night to mark a week since the mass shooting that killed 15 people. Police said snipers and other specialized units positioned on surrounding rooftops and in the Bondi area would oversee the event, which began at 6:47 p.m. AEDT. Health nurses were on hand to support attendees coping with the emotional occasion.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the extra security, including long-arm weapons for some officers, was not an indication of a heightened threat level, but rather a precaution to ensure people could gather without fear. The security presence included riot squad members, officers in camouflage and balaclavas, and mounted police overseeing the Bondi vigil as the event unfolded on the final night of Hanukkah.

Rabbi Eli Feldman, who comforted mourners at Bondi Pavilion in the days after the shooting, urged the nation to embrace the tenets of Hanukkah as a way to honor those killed. His Sydney synagogue was among several across the country targeted earlier this year in a separate arson and graffiti attack. Feldman spoke remotely to ABC TV, saying the community would kindle the eight candle again and demonstrate that light can prevail over darkness.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn urged Australians to see the day of reflection as the start of a national healing effort built on acts of kindness. Speaking at an event organized by the National Council of Jewish Women Australia at Bondi, Mostyn said the country has a responsibility to stand with those affected and to continue demonstrations of solidarity.

Across Australia, people observed moments of mourning: flags were placed at half-mast, and monuments were lit in yellow to honor the victims. Among those killed were 10-year-old Matilda, Holocaust survivors Alexander Kleytman and Marika Pogany, and rabbis Yaakov Levitan and Eli Schlanger. The vigil drew hundreds of mourners and supporters who paused for a minute of silence at 6:47 p.m. AEDT.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese planned to visit the Bondi Pavilion for the first time since the day after the massacre, as he faced scrutiny over the government’s handling of antisemitic incidents prior to the attack. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the prime minister’s attendance was appropriate but could elicit mixed reactions from the community.

In the broader political discussions surrounding the tragedy, NSW Premier Chris Minns defended proposed hate-speech laws due to be rushed through the state parliament before Christmas. The laws are intended to curb slogans and online hate that prosecutors say fuel violence. Minns also announced a move to ban hate symbols, including flags associated with extremist groups, from public spaces and homes. Police later said they found home-made IS flags in a vehicle linked to one of the gunmen.

The state has announced a royal commission into the massacre, though federal Labor colleagues have resisted calls for a corresponding national inquiry. Separately, Australia’s Jewish community has continued to grieve while emphasizing the need for security and resilience in public life as Hanukkah observances continue across the country.

Local authorities indicated that the surrounding tribute materials placed at Bondi Pavilion would begin to be removed on Monday, as part of a plan to transition from the immediate aftermath to longer-term memorial arrangements. People attending the vigil were encouraged to light a candle and place it in their windows as a personal tribute to the victims and their families.