People attend a ceremony to mark the National Day of Reflection for victims and survivors, at Bondi Beach in Sydney following the Bondi shooting on Dec. 14. (AP Photo) Thousands of mourners gathered at the Bondi Beach in Sydney amid tight security to mark a week since two gunmen opened fire at the venue during a Jewish festival which killed 15 people and left another 40 injured. The memorial on Sunday was part of a national day of reflection as the Australian government has galvanised its action to counter antisemitism.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his predecessors John Howard and Scott Morrison, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn were among the attendees at the commemoration where about 10,000 people had gathered, AP reported.
PM Albanese was booed by Australia’s Jewish community upon his arrival at Bondi Beach as a protest against the rise in antisemitic attacks over the past few months, BBC reported.
As the sun set in Sydney on Sunday evening, a minute of silence was observed at 6:47pm which marked exactly one week since the first instance of gunfire was reported at the famous Bondi Beach when the celebration of Jewish festival Hanukkah was under process.
Tonight we stood together as Australians.
To reject antisemitism.
To remember the precious lives we lost one week ago.
And to wrap our arms around the Jewish community who are grieving.
This has been a dark week for Australia, but we will never let hate divide us. pic.twitter.com/Tkwvr6vpBe
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 21, 2025
Heavy security was deployed at Bondi Beach to mark the one week of mass shootout incident as some areas were cordoned-off and were being guarded by armed riot squad personnel and a police patrol boat was also visible at the coast of Bondi Beach. For Australians, this high level of security at beaches is usually an unfamiliar sight.
One of the heroes amid the Bondi Beach attack, Ahmed al Ahmed, who had pounced on one of the two gunmen and took away the weapon sent a message of support from hospital. The Syrian-born immigrant was shot by the attacker as he wrestled a shotgun from the attacker. “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. Today I stand with you, my brothers and sisters,” Ahmed wrote.
New South Wales’ state government and the federal government declared Sunday a national day of reflection to mark Australia’s worst mass shooting since the Tasmania state shootout in 1996 where 35 people had died.
(with inputs from AP)
