We have all become too used to gun massacres in the United States. Indeed there was one on Rhode Island just two days ago. In the Sydney attack, more than one shooter was involved. It also took place near to where a bunch of Australians were celebrating theJewish holiday of Hanukah. Initial reports indicate ten have been killed including one of the gunmen and 18 are in hospital. More are being treated by paramedics at the scene.

It is likely that more would have been killed had not one individual tackled a gunman. The attached Guardian article has two videos: of two of the gunmen and the hero tackling one.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/dec/14/nsw-police-responding-to-reports-of-shooting-at-sydneys-bondi-beach-follow-latest 

News conference live now on the killings.
At least 12 dead killed by 2 gunmen.
Reasons seem to be a protest at Jewish people  during Hanukkah.
One shooter dead, one more in hospital and possibly another 'on the tun'. 

 

It is now certain it was an act against people practising their Jewish religion. However, no matter how awful this tragedy, I find the comments of Benjamin Netanyahu nauseating.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had written to his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, in August, warning that the government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire … emboldens those who menace Australian Jews and encourages the Jew hatred now stalking your streets . . . Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action. You let the disease spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”

Thus spake the criminal who is guilty of the murder of more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority women and children. International journalists aiming to clarify the numbers are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza. 

There's shooting deaths here in Sydney every week in the *Muslim" Sydney suburbs, no one seems to care about that

The shooter had a firearms licence with 6 rifles .... unbelievable 

15 hours ago, PeterRS said:

It is now certain it was an act against people practising their Jewish religion. However, no matter how awful this tragedy, I find the comments of Benjamin Netanyahu nauseating.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had written to his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, in August, warning that the government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire …

That's like the coal calling the diamond black. BN has no regard for Palestinian life, then pretends to cry a river when Jews are targeted. Some people never learn that respect doesn't come from behind the barrel of a gun. Murder breeds disrespect, not respect. Of course, these murders will breed more anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate (notwithstanding the fact that it was a fellow Muslim who stopped one of the two murderers). 

6 hours ago, unicorn said:

That's like the coal calling the diamond black. BN has no regard for Palestinian life, then pretends to cry a river when Jews are targeted. Some people never learn that respect doesn't come from behind the barrel of a gun. Murder breeds disrespect, not respect. Of course, these murders will breed more anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hate (notwithstanding the fact that it was a fellow Muslim who stopped one of the two murderers). 

I read that with an hour, a fake AI produced news item, said that it was a white guy who intervened,  and this got millions of likes etc. Just shows what is happening.  

With 15 now dead, this has reminded me of the much larger massacre of another group of people in Sydney, this time belonging to the LGBT community. Roughly from the mid-1970s to the late-1990s, it is estimated that 88 gay men were murdered and an untold number of others assaulted in various part of Sydney, including Marks Park very close to Bondi Beach. Marks Park was a favoured meeting ground for gay men and many were murdered by being thrown off the cliff. Several gay-hating gangs were reported to be involved.

There existed in Sydney at the time a serious attitude of homophobia. Homosexuality was only decriminalised in New South Wales in 1984 just as the AIDS pandemic swept the country. For years the NSW police had been arresting anyone suspected of being gay. That did not change with the change in the law and there remained within the police force the view that all gay men were criminals. Thus the investigation into the gay murders was half-hearted at best. Only a few culprits were ever brought to justice. The Bondi Memorial 'Rise' artwork in Marks Park with the names of the known dead within the stonework (for it is suspected that at least 30 were never reported) commemorates these dark days of Sydney's gay past.