Australian Jews express fear and anger after the Bondi Beach shooting, citing rising antisemitism and perceived government inaction.
SYDNEY: Jewish Australians say they feel unsafe, angry and frustrated following a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah festival near Bondi Beach.
The attack on Sunday, one of the deadliest in Australian history, killed 15 people including Holocaust survivors and a 10-year-old girl.
Gunman Sajid Akram was shot dead by police while his son, Naveed Akram, 24, faces terrorism and murder charges.
As victims were laid to rest, community leaders voiced anger at perceived government foot-dragging in confronting antisemitism.
“Do we feel safe? You know, the answer is ‘not really’, to be honest,” Rabbi Yossi Friedman told AFP at a memorial.
He said many Holocaust survivors came to Australia to escape persecution only to find hate again.
Community members cited a pro-Palestinian rally at the Sydney Opera House in October 2023 as a turning point.
They criticised a perceived lack of police action when antisemitic insults were hurled during that event.
The government’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, said prejudice has been “seeping into society for many years”.
Segal reported a 316% surge in antisemitic incidents in Australia in the year after the October 7 Hamas attack.
Data analyst Brett Ackerman, 37, described heightened security at Jewish schools as making them “more and more like a prison”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned the Bondi attack as an antisemitic terrorist act of “pure evil”.
He rejected criticism his government failed to act swiftly on calls for tougher measures against antisemitism.
Albanese highlighted new laws criminalising hate speech and banning Nazi symbols since the attack.
The government is also pursuing stricter gun control after the older assailant was found with six licensed firearms.
Retired writer Danny Gingef, 66, called gun reform a diversion from the core issue of identifying hate.
He expressed sadness and anger, referencing “hate marches” where Hezbollah flags were seen.
Gingef said the Jewish community has been on high alert for years, checking exits in restaurants.
Visible displays of faith, like wearing a Star of David, now cause wariness in some areas.
“Antisemitism isn’t a Jewish problem to solve, it’s society’s problem,” he told AFP. – AFP
