Bondi beach shooting live updates: Albanese says national cabinet to discuss tougher gun laws today; butchered pig heads found at Muslim cemetery in Sydney | Bondi beach terror attack
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Anthony Albanese says tougher gun laws on agenda for national cabinet meeting today
The prime minister says the federal government is prepared to take “whatever action is necessary” in the wake of the shooting.
He continues:
Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws. And this afternoon, at 4pm, I will put on the agenda of the national cabinet tougher gun laws, including limits on the number of guns that can be used or licensed by individuals. A review of licences over a period of time. People’s circumstances can change. People can be radicalised over a period of time. Licences should not be in perpetuity.
Key events
Woman escorted from Bondi memorial
A woman wearing a keffiyeh has been escorted away from the Bondi memorial today. Footage circulating on social media shows her surrounded by police and being ushered from the site.
NSW police said in a statement this afternoon:
A 67-year-old woman has been issued a move on direction after allegedly breaching the peace during a vigil at Bondi this afternoon.
Bondi attackers ‘do not represent our movement’: Palestine Advocacy Network
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan) has “unequivocally condemn[ed] the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach,” and said in a statement this afternoon that the “perpetrators of this horrendous attack do not represent our movement or the values we uphold”.
The organisation’s members are “deeply saddened and heartbroken by the violence” directed at the Jewish community, the statement said.
It continued:
Week after week, we have gathered together – the best of our community, from First Nations leaders, members of the Jewish community, side by side with Palestinian siblings, and the wider Arab community, among many other allies from all walks of life. Together, we have insisted on a world that is free from racism and hate. And we will continue to insist that antisemitism, like all forms of racism and hate, has no place in our society.
In the midst of this tragedy, we saw an extraordinary act of courage – Ahmed al Ahmed’s heroic intervention in disarming the gunman and saving many lives. His bravery calls on all of us to respond in kind, by standing against hatred and refusing to demonise or vilify Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities. We can only counter violence and fear by coming together at every opportunity.
Apan also said it was “deeply concerned by comments from Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal that seek to draw false links between this act of violence and the March for Humanity earlier this year,” which was and remains peaceful, multicultural, uniting hundreds of thousands of people, including many in the Jewish community, in opposing genocide and racism, the statement said.
It continued:
Such claims by Segal misdirect grief, fuel division, and undermine the urgent need for unity and a clear rejection of all forms of racism, including antisemitism.
Apan’s president, Nasser Mashni, and executive member Dr Jordana Silverstein both also expressed their personal condemnation of yesterday’s events and their solidarity with the Jewish community at this time.
Victorian lawyers’ groups offer condolences
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, the Law Institute of Victoria, the Victorian Bar and the Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee have issued a joint statement in the wake of the Bondi shootings.
The statement says:
We are united in our shock and sorrow following the horrific attacks that took place at Bondi Beach yesterday evening.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those who have been tragically affected by this abhorrent violence. This has particularly impacted the Jewish community of Sydney and across Australia, a community that is an integral and cherished part of our multicultural society.
We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and all who have been affected by this senseless violence. Everyone has the right to safety, security and freedom from fear.
We condemn these acts of antisemitism, extremism and violence in the strongest possible terms. We reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law, which underpins the safety and security of all in Australia.
We are united in our resolve that such acts of violence and hate will not undermine the values of inclusion and fundamental freedoms, including of religion and other rights, which define our community.
Penry Buckley
Muslim groups condemn Bondi beach attack
As we reported earlier, Muslim peak bodies and community groups have put out statements condemning yesterday’s attack. The Darulfatwa Islamic High Council of Australia has said the attack was “wholly incompatible with Australian values and principles of peaceful coexistence”.
In a statement on X, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association said it was “shocked and saddened at the loss of innocent lives” in the attack:
We stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters during this time of deep grief and sorrow.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, the Bonnyrigg mosque, near to the residential address of the alleged gunmen, said its community “unequivocally condemn[s] the violent and senseless attack at Bondi Beach”. It is not suggested the men were part of the congregation.
The mosque’s statement continued:
We extend our sincere condolences to the victims, their families, and the wider community. Violence driven by hatred – be it racial, religious, or ideological – has no place in Australia and must be rejected fully.
We stand united with affected communities and all Australians shaken by this incident. No community should live in fear, nor should any faith be blamed for an individual’s actions.
NSW government details community condolence and support services
The NSW government has outlined some options for community members who would like to offer condolences in the wake of the shooting.
Those with floral tributes are requested to please lay them at the rear of Bondi Pavilion.
Condolence messages for the families affected by the attack can be left on the online condolence book on the government information page.
Victims, families of those who have died, and those who have been affected by the incident can seek support through the Victims Support Scheme. It includes counselling and financial assistance, including assistance to pay for funeral expenses. It can be reached on 1800 411 822 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Trained disaster mental health support clinicians and NSW Health staff will be available on the ground at Bondi over the coming days and weeks. They will be identifiable by wearing NSW Health vests and members of the community who are feeling distress are urged to make themselves known to those mental health clinicians.
Telephone mental health services are available as follows:
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NSW Health’s dedicated Mental Health Line is available 24/7 on 1800 011 511.
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Lifeline is on 13 11 14.
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Children and young people can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or chat online at www.kidshelpline.com.au.
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Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 46 36.
More information on available support, the floral tribute and the online condolence book are available on the NSW government’s website.
Butchered pig heads found at Muslim cemetery in Sydney
A Muslim cemetery at Narellan, in south-western Sydney, has been allegedly vandalised with butchered pig heads and other animal parts, NSW police have said.
Police received reports at around 6am of animal remains left at the entrance to a cemetery on Richardson Rd, Narellan, according to a statement today.
The statement continued:
Officers attached to Camden Police Area Command attended and found several pig heads at the scene.
Police immediately commenced an investigation into the incident.
The pig heads have since been removed and disposed of appropriately.
Inquiries are ongoing.
The Lebanese Muslim Association bought the graveyard in the grounds of St Thomas’ Anglican church in 2008 to help overcome a shortage of burial sites.
Caitlin Cassidy
Members of the public deliver flowers to man who tackled alleged shooter
Outside St George hospital in Kogarah, a family of three have come to deliver flowers to Ahmed al-Ahmed, the heroic bystander who tackled and wrestled a gun from one of the two alleged gunmen during the Bondi beach mass shooting.
Al-Ahmed continues to be treated for gunshot wounds at the hospital. Miroslava Pochuev, 7, held the bouquet of flowers, on which she had written a note to the bystander. Her parents, Veronica and Misha Pochuev, said they didn’t know al-Ahmed personally but wanted to show their respect and admiration for his bravery.
Misha said:
We just wanted to show our gratitude for what he’s done … To cheer him up.
Before arriving at the hospital, they had laid flowers at Bondi, where Misha said tears “just started coming out”:
It was very sombre.
Veronica has both Muslim and Jewish heritage and said:
This is not only about Bondi … This is about all of us.
Sussan Ley says stricter gun laws ‘must be on the table’
Luca Ittimani
The opposition leader has said gun reform “must be on the table” after earlier avoiding indicating whether the Coalition would support tighter laws on firearm ownership.
Anthony Albanese this afternoon said national cabinet would look to limit the number of guns individuals could licence, review licences over time and stop licences from being granted in perpetuity.
Speaking to Guardian Australia before the prime minister revealed those proposals, Sussan Ley said she agreed the option should be open. She stopped short of committing to support specific limits:
Everything must be on the table when it comes to looking at reforms about weapons access and anything else.
Ley offered unqualified support for an immediate recall of parliament and urgent legislation to counter antisemitism and addressing any issues raised by Australia’s security or intelligence agencies.
We need to act on the scourge of antisemitism and we need to do it with actions, not just words.
Luca Ittimani
Ley says Labor should have brought in tougher antisemitism measures in education system
Stricter regulation of universities and bolstered antisemitism education in schools were among the major proposals Anthony Albanese showed a “lack of leadership” by ignoring, Sussan Ley has said.
Speaking to Guardian Australia while visiting Bondi beach, Ley said the federal government should have reformed the education system when its antisemitism envoy proposed the changes in a July report:
We have to tackle the scourge of antisemitism. We cannot accept that things will continue beyond today just as they always have. From today, everything must change.
Ley has demanded immediate implementation of the reforms and accused the government of failing to lead by not implementing them. Jillian Segal’s report in July called on the government to vet universities’ approach to antisemitism on campus and strip funding if it was not appropriately combated. It also called for stronger school curriculum education on antisemitism.
Asked whether the reforms could have prevented Sunday’s attack, Ley said:
The recommendations speak very strongly to education … When I talk to Australians who are not aware of the deep sense of pain that Jewish Australians are feeling, many of them are not sure what this is … Embedded in what we saw was clearly antisemitism.
Joe Hinchliffe
Queensland police say no specific threat outside NSW but will increase presence at places of worship
Queensland’s top police officer has asked people to avoid misinformation and report “threatening behaviour on social media” after the Bondi beach terror attack.
Acting police commissioner, Cheryl Scanlon, said QPS had increased police presence around “places of worship and other significant areas” to help reassure the Jewish community but that police were not aware of any specific threats in Queensland.
Scanlon said at a press conference in Brisbane:
This event is isolated to New South Wales, on our current information …
The state threat level remains at probable, which is consistent with the national advisory.
Scanlon asked “Queenslanders to remain calm, but vigilant”, saying there was “no place for retaliation or retribution”:
We ask that people seek information from reliable sources and maintain peace within our communities.
She said police were monitoring social media and that threatening or concerning online behaviour should be reported to the national security hotline on 1800 123 400.
Asked about tightening gun ownership laws, Scanlon said it was a matter for government debate and not one for “today” – but spoke about “the journey for a national firearms register” which gained renewed impetus after the 2022 fatal shooting of two Queensland police officers and a neighbour in Wieambilla.
Of the register, she said:
That’s a very important thing for this country.
Jordyn Beazley
Person in viral picture with Akram releases statement
The head of a Sydney Koran college who was featured in an old image with Naveed Akram that went viral online says he has not seen the alleged Bondi attacker since 2022.
Sheikh Adam Ismail, head of Al-Murad Institute, said Akram approached the centre in late 2019 seeking Koran citation and Arabic language classes.
He said:
As I’ve done with 1000s of students over the years, I’ve taught him Koran recitation and Arabic only for a combined period of one year. These were the only subjects I taught him, and they are the areas I specialise in …
I want to be very clear that from the beginning, I have absolutely no involvement in what tragically happened yesterday in Bondi. The purpose of this statement is to first clarify my connection to him, secondly, to express my stance on what tragically unfolded, and finally, to explain the Islamic position on such an act.
Ismail said he was deeply saddened by what had occurred, and gave his condolences to the victims and Jewish community.
What I find deeply ironic is that the very Koran he was learning to recite clearly states that taking one innocent life is like killing all of humanity. This makes it clear that what unfolded yesterday at Bondi is completely forbidden in Islam, not everyone who recites the Koran understands it or lives by its teachings …
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my former and current students, friends and family, for their ongoing support and advice during this time. I hope this has brought some clarity.
Albanese praises bravery of police and civilian who tackled one of alleged Bondi shooters
Anthony Albanese wraps up his comments by praising the bravery of the police and of the civilian, who he confirms as Ahmed al-Ahmed, who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen, and whose actions were captured in extraordinary footage.
Albanese says:
The community are going through a terrible time. This is an incident that is aimed at – by definition, terrorism is aimed at – creating fear in the community. You have these two individuals who have engaged in a horrific act, one is that is completely out of place with the way that Australia functions as a society.
And a contrast with the actions of police who rushed towards Bondi. The actions of Ahmed al-Ahmed, who took the gun off that perpetrator at great risk to himself and suffered serious injury as a result of that, and is currently going through operations today in hospital. At the best of times, what we see is Australians coming together. And what I want is for Australians to come together. For this to be reinforcing the need for us to promote national unity. And that is critical.
There is no place in Australia for antisemitism. There is no place for hatred, and people who were exercising their right to express their faith through Hanukah had every right to expect that they could do that in peace and with a joyful celebration, which is what it is aimed at.
The press conference concludes there.
Albanese is asked about response to Jillian Segal’s recommendations
Albanese was asked about what the government has done in response to the recommendations from antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, released in July. Segal has sought an urgent acceleration of those in the wake of the shooting. You can read some background to this here:
Albanese lists a number of changes to law, including criminalisation of hate speech, banning the Nazi salute, and the creation of the national student ombudsman. He concludes by saying he expects they will continue to work together at multiple levels of government on the recommendations.
Burke and Albanese give some further information about the alleged shooters
The younger of the two alleged shooters is an Australian-born citizen, Tony Burke says. His father arrived in 1998 on a student visa, transferred in 2001 to a partner visa and, after trips overseas, has been on resident return visas three times.
Albanese says the son first came to the attention of Asio in October 2019. He was examined “on the basis of being associated with others”:
And the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.
Visas being fast-tracked for family members to attend funerals, Burke says
Tony Burke, minister for home affairs, speaks briefly on the assistance on offer for families of people who were killed in the shooting.
Burke says:
There are needs for the community right now. One of the additional things that the community have raised directly with me is because of the number of people who will have family members overseas – not only in Israel, but in other parts of the world – who will want to be able to get them here rapidly for funerals.
We have set up a specific section of the department rapidly dealing with visa processing at a pace that would not ordinarily be there to make sure that, given the often speedy nature of funerals in terms of the timeline in the Jewish tradition, to make sure that we maximise the chance for family members to be able to reunited here at the worst of times.
The Department of Home Affairs is also doing other work, as the prime minister referred to, with respect to working through a way to assist with the cost of those funerals.
Further to his commitment to take tougher gun laws to national cabinet, Albanese notes the gun laws that John Howard’s Coalition government enacted with bipartisan support after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
Albanese says:
Quite clearly, the Howard government’s gun laws have made an enormous difference in Australia, and a proud moment of reform, quite rightly, achieved across the parliament with bipartisan support. If we need to toughen these up, if there’s anything that we can do, I’m certainly up for it. And I hope to get national cabinet on board for that this afternoon as well.
