Australians gathered in silence at Bondi Beach on Sunday to remember the victims of last week’s mass shooting, as the country marked a national day of reflection one week after the attack that left 15 people dead during a Hanukkah celebration.
The memorial, held under heavy security, came exactly seven days after the first emergency calls reported gunfire at the popular Sydney beach. At 6:47 p.m. local time, crowds paused for a minute of silence as the sun set over the coastline.
Among those killed were a 10 year old girl, a British born rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor. The youngest victim, Matilda, was remembered with yellow bee shaped balloons, a tribute to her nickname, “Matilda Bee.” Later, the crowd sang Waltzing Matilda, the song she was named after.
Another young victim, 14 year old Chaya, drew sustained applause when she appeared on stage using crutches. Shot in the leg while shielding other children, she told the crowd, “If you take one thing from this, be the light in that field of darkness.”
The ceremony ended with the lighting of a menorah, a ritual that could not be completed during last week’s Hanukkah gathering because of the attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced a hostile reaction on arrival, with some in the crowd booing and one person shouting “Blood on your hands.” Police intervened after at least one individual moved toward the prime minister, while his wife Jodie Haydon stood close beside him.
The response reflected deep frustration within Australia’s Jewish community, which has warned for months about a rise in antisemitic incidents following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Albanese has acknowledged the criticism. “I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia,” he said earlier this week.
In contrast, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns received strong support from the crowd. He has publicly admitted failures ahead of the attack and attended several victims’ funerals.
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“We are deeply sorry,” Minns said during the memorial. “With humility, I acknowledge that the government’s highest duty is to protect its citizens. And we did not do that one week ago.”
Minns said the shooting exposed “a deep vein of antisemitic hate” that must be confronted.
David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, was met with loud cheers as he called for a nationwide Royal Commission to examine how the attack occurred and whether it could have been prevented.
Police have charged suspected gunman Naveed Akram, 24, with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. His father, Sajid Akram, was among those killed.
In the days following the attack, Albanese announced new measures aimed at hate speech and incitement to violence. On Sunday, he also confirmed a review of police and national intelligence agencies, citing what he described as an “ISIS inspired atrocity.”
The government has pledged reforms to gun laws and launched a national gun buyback program, the largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that reshaped Australia’s approach to firearms.