Australian Prime Minister booed during tribute to Sydney attack victims; VIDEO

Prime Minister of Australia is booed at memorial to the victims of the attack on Bondi Beach The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, was booed this Sunday (21) by part of the crowd gathered at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, during a ceremony in honor of the victims of the shooting attack that took place a week ago. (See the video above) The terrorist attack targeted an event for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah by the sea. The country dedicated Sunday to a national day of reflection in memory of the 15 people killed and dozens injured in the attack, committed by two armed men. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The event featured a minute of silence at 6:47 pm (4:47 am in Brazil), the time when the shooting began, with flags at half-mast in public buildings and interruption of radio and television broadcasting. Thousands of people attended the ceremony, which featured tight security, including heavily armed police, snipers positioned on rooftops and police vessels at sea. Albanese, sitting in the front row and wearing a yarmulke — the traditional Jewish hat — was booed upon arrival and again when his name was mentioned by one of the speakers. The prime minister was not scheduled to speak and has come under pressure from critics who say his center-left government has not done enough to curb a rise in anti-Semitism since the start of the war in Gaza. According to the Australian public channel “ABC News”, Albanese announced a review of intelligence and security agencies following the terrorist attack in Bondi. The government, in turn, claims to have repeatedly condemned anti-Semitic acts, passed laws to criminalize hate speech and expelled, at the beginning of the year, the Iranian ambassador, accused of involvement in arson attacks against Jewish targets. “We have lost our innocence. The past week has robbed us of that,” said David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, as he opened the ceremony. “Just as the grass of Bondi was stained with blood, so was our nation. But Hanukkah teaches us that light can illuminate even the darkest places,” he added. Also present was the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, celebrated as the “Hero of Bondi” for managing to disarm one of the shooters during the attack. Authorities urged Australians to light candles at home on Sunday night, marking the final day of the Jewish festival of lights. In one of the most applauded speeches, 14-year-old survivor Chaya Dadon said: “We are growing stronger as a nation. Sometimes growing up hurts, but life goes on — and we need to live it in the best way possible.” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns was met with applause when he said the attack was intended to intimidate and spread fear. “You’ve got Bondi Beach back for us all,” he said. Earlier, Albanese announced a broad review of the country’s public security and intelligence agencies, which will be led by a former Australian spy chief. According to him, the analysis will assess whether security forces have “adequate powers, structures and mechanisms” to protect the population. Australian Prime Minister announces weapons buyback program after terrorist attack The Australian Prime Minister promised on Thursday (18), in a press conference, a widespread offensive to eradicate “the evil of anti-Semitism from our society”. “Australians are shocked and furious. I am furious. It’s clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge,” the prime minister said. The measures include new powers to pursue extremist preachers and deny or cancel the visas of those who propagate “hate and division”, Albanese added. The attack exposed flaws in the process of granting weapons licenses and in sharing information between agencies. Albanese also announced a national gun buyback program. Experts, however, say that, despite being strict, the country’s gun control laws still have loopholes. Authorities are investigating the case as an anti-Semitic terrorist attack. Policing was reinforced across the country to prevent new episodes of violence. Investigators believe the perpetrators were inspired by the extremist group Islamic State. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends the “Light Over Darkness” vigil to honor the victims and survivors of the attack during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney. Reuters/Hollie Adams People pay tribute to the victims of a terrorist attack during a Jewish holiday celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, December 15, 2025. Reuters/Hollie Adams

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