Bondi Beach Mourns as Community Honors Victims of Attack

Sun Dec 21 2025 23:43:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A nationwide day of remembrance saw Australians unite in silence to honor the victims of the Bondi Beach attack, which claimed 15 lives, including a young girl and a Holocaust survivor.

In a touching memorial at Bondi Beach, Australians observed a minute of silence in honor of the victims of a tragic shooting that occurred during a Jewish festival celebration. The event highlighted the community's grief and the rising concerns over antisemitic violence. Amid heavy security, participants remembered the victims, including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor, while both the Prime Minister and Premier faced criticism regarding their government's responses to the tragedy.

Mourners in Australia have fallen silent in honour of the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.

The memorial was part of a national day of reflection to mark a week since the shooting in which two gunmen opened fire on an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hannukah.

A 10-year-old girl, a British-born rabbi and a Holocaust survivor were among the 15 people killed during the attack.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed when he arrived at the memorial event - an expression of anger by Australia's Jewish community against his government after a rise of antisemitic attacks over the past few months.

As the sun set over Sydney on Sunday evening, a minute's silence was observed at 18:47 (07:47 GMT) - exactly one week since the first reports of gunfire at the famous beach.

There was heavy security at the memorial event. Some cordoned-off areas were guarded by armed riot squad officers who had their faces covered, while a police patrol boat was visible off the coast of Bondi Beach.

A large crowd - many wearing kippas [the Jewish skullcap] or draped in Australian flags - gathered to listen to speeches after observing the silence.

Bee balloons floated in the wind in honour of the youngest victim of the attack, Matilda - a reference to her nickname, 'Matilda Bee'.

Later in the ceremony, the crowd sang Waltzing Matilda, the song for which the 10-year-old was named.

They later chanted the name of Chaya, a 14-year-old who was injured while trying to protect children during the attack. Using crutches, she urged everyone to spread kindness.

The event ended with the lighting of the menorah, which the crowds could not do due to the attack during Hannukah celebrations.

From Bondi Beach to homes across the nation, candles were lit in a gesture of 'light over darkness'.

The Prime Minister faced mixed reactions - while Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, was praised for quickly addressing government shortcomings regarding preventive measures.

The aftermath of the attack includes calls for a Royal Commission to investigate how such a tragedy could occur, highlighting a pressing need to address antisemitism in the community.

Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with multiple offenses, including murder and committing a terrorist act.

In response to the attack, the government announced measures to curb hate speech, alongside a review of national security protocols.