Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Jewish community’s spirit is unbreakable as Australia mourns the Bondi Beach shooting victims and pledges new hate crime laws.
SYDNEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the spirit of Australia’s Jewish community was “completely unbreakable” as the nation prepared to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
He made the remarks after attending a memorial at Sydney’s Great Synagogue on Friday night for the 15 people killed and dozens wounded last Sunday.
“It was a night of unity, resilience, comfort, faith and love,” Albanese said in televised remarks from Canberra ahead of a national day of reflection.
The attack on a Hanukkah celebration is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting Jews, Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years.
Albanese has vowed to strengthen hate laws amid criticism his government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since the war in Gaza began.
The New South Wales state government pledged to introduce a bill on Monday to ban the display of symbols and flags of listed terrorist organisations.
“The displaying of these symbols can only be done by someone who’s either deranged or has an intention to insult and intimidate and scare,” state Attorney General Michael Daley said.
The listed groups include Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and Islamic State, whose flags were allegedly found in the car used by the attackers.
Around 1,000 surf lifesavers returned to duty at Bondi Beach on Saturday, restarting patrols halted after the shooting.
They lined the sand for two minutes of silence to honour the victims in a tribute held “out of respect to the Jewish community,” said Surf Life Saving Australia president Peter Agnew.
Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene.
His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was also shot, has been charged with 59 offences including murder and terrorism.
He remained in hospital custody on Saturday, according to Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett.
Authorities believe the pair was inspired by the militant Sunni Muslim group Islamic State.
