Thousands gather as Bondi Beach reopens, commemorating victims of Hanukkah attack
Sydney marks reopening with paddle-out and circle in the ocean as security remains tight and Australia weighs gun-law changes after Bondi massacre.
Thousands gathered Friday as Bondi Beach reopened five days after a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration left 15 people dead and dozens injured, Australian authorities said.
Police reopened portions of the beachfront, and a day of remembrance unfolded on the sand as thousands stood shoulder to shoulder before forming an enormous circle in the ocean, signaling solidarity with Sydney’s Jewish community.
At Bondi, a paddle-out brought surfers onto the water as prayers were spoken on the beach and spectators watched. A paddle-out is a tribute commonly held when a surfer dies, and participants sit on boards as tributes are made.
Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syria-born Australian Muslim store owner, tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during the attack; he was wounded by the other assailant. In a video posted on social media, al Ahmed said Australia is "the best country in the world" before raising his fist and chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie," according to the Associated Press.
National response to the carnage included a surge of hospitality and solidarity, with Lifeblood reporting nearly 35,000 blood donations and more than 100,000 appointments booked since Monday.
The assault has raised questions about safety and the possibility of backlash against Muslim communities, with armed police officers stationed outside synagogues and mosques in Sydney on Friday, the AP reported.
The attack also spurred a memorial culture around Bondi: on the nearby iconic footbridge, a chalk drawing of a menorah and an Australian flag sits beside a drawing of a bumblebee honoring Matilda, the 10-year-old victim. Australian Opposition Leader Sussan Ley visited the site and walked across the bridge. "I wasn’t prepared for the feelings that hit me when I crossed the bridge," Ley told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that the scene, and the sheltering neighbors who helped during the attack, left a lasting impression.
Australian Olympians Jessica Fox, Ian Thorpe and Steve Solomon, along with other athletes, visited the memorial and laid flowers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. "Moments like this, coming in together, connecting, vowing for change, vowing for improvements and prosperity as a community and a country, is what gives us hope to put on the uniform as we have today," Solomon, who is Jewish, told the Herald. Fox, also Jewish, became emotional at the site and said, "It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring people together." The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In the wake of the massacre, Australian officials signaled a push to tighten gun laws, while communities across the country mourned and supported one another.
As Bondi begins to heal, authorities emphasized ongoing security measures and the importance of recalling the acts of courage that emerged amid the tragedy. The attack occurred on Dec. 14, and the reopening of Bondi Beach on Dec. 19 underscored a national resolve to stand with victims, survivors and first responders as Australia processes the events and moves toward healing.
