Dec 19, 2025, 06:47Dec 19, 2025, 06:47
Australia’s government wants to drastically reduce the number of firearms in the country after the devastating terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national firearms buyback program. This Sunday he declared a “day of remembrance” for the victims of the attack that left 15 dead last weekend, on which the flags will be flown at half-mast. There will also be a national day of mourning next year.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.Image: keystone
Already today, hundreds of surfers near the crime scene on Bondi Beach commemorated the victims by forming a large circle in the sea with surfboards and observing a minute’s silence for the 15 people who died. Members of the Jewish community had previously prayed on Australia’s most famous beach, which had largely been reopened to the public the day before and was now home to huge numbers of surfers and swimmers.
Terrorist militia Islamic State approves attack
Two assassins – a father and his son – shot at a crowd there on Sunday during the Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah. 15 victims are still being treated in hospital. The father was shot by the police and the son was taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds, where he has been under guard ever since.
The investigative authorities assume that the two attackers had connections to the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) or were at least ideologically influenced by it. Although IS did not directly claim responsibility for the attack, it expressly approved of it.
There has not been such a serious case of gun violence in Australia since the 1996 mass shooting on the island of Tasmania, in which 35 people were killed in the town of Port Arthur. Even then, a government buyback program for firearms was implemented in response to the bloodshed.
Despite the stricter gun laws almost 30 years ago, there are now around four million firearms in Australia, Prime Minister Albanese said at a press conference – that is more than before the shooting spree in Port Arthur. “The terrible events in Bondi show that we need to get more guns off our streets.”
Gun laws are set to become even stricter
The government now wants to introduce legislation for a new program to buy back firearms. As in the 1990s, it is expected that hundreds of thousands of pistols and rifles will be handed in and then destroyed. It is still unclear when this will begin. The state and the federal states should share the costs of the buyback program.
Surfers on Friday after the attack on Bondi Beach.Image: keystone
“We know that one of these terrorists had a firearms license and six firearms despite living in the middle of the Sydney suburb of Bonnyrigg. There is no reason why anyone would need so many weapons in this situation,” Albanese said.
The gun laws should therefore be made even stricter. The intention is, among other things, to accelerate the introduction of a national firearms register. In addition, the number of weapons that an individual can own is to be limited, Australian citizenship is to be a requirement for obtaining a weapons license in the future and the list of legally available weapons is to be further shortened.
Nationwide minute of silence
Albanese called on his countrymen to light a candle in memory of the victims on Sunday evening at 6:46 p.m. – the time the first shots were fired on Bondi Beach. There will also be a nationwide minute’s silence. The New South Wales state government announced that flags would be flown at half-mast and buildings would be lit yellow in honor of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Lights would also be projected into the sky from Bondi Beach.
“It is a day of remembrance and silence in light of the terrible events and shocking crimes of last Sunday,” said New South Wales Premier Chris Minns. “At the same time, it is a sign of national respect for the victims.”
Police speak out after dramatic operation
Meanwhile, state police chief Mal Lanyon indicated that seven men spectacularly arrested by special forces in southwest Sydney the day before were expected to be released shortly. According to information available, Bondi may have been one of several locations the men wanted to visit.
The reason for the men’s journey from Melbourne is unknown. According to media reports, no connection to the attackers has been established. No weapons were found on the suspects.
“Although the specific threat posed by the men is unknown, I can say that the potential for violence was so high that we did not want to tolerate the risk and acted accordingly,” said Lanyon. After examining the evidence, there is no longer any reason to continue detaining the men. According to media reports, heavily armed anti-terror units rammed their car and forced it off the road, and a second vehicle was also stopped. The officers fired rubber bullets. (dab/sda/dpa)
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