A horrific terror attack has shattered the peace of Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, leaving 16 people dead and dozens injured. The assault targeted a Jewish community event marking the start of Hanukkah on Sunday evening, 15 December 2025.
The Scene of the Attack
The violence erupted at approximately 18:47 from a concrete bridge spanning a public car park behind Bondi Park. The attackers, identified as father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, used high-powered firearms to open fire on the Celebration by the Sea gathering. The bridge remains cordoned off, its walls pockmarked with bullet holes and stained with blood.
Sajid Akram was fatally shot at the scene. His 24-year-old son, Naveed, was critically injured and captured, now clinging to life in a local hospital. The victims, caught in a savage and indiscriminate assault, ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old.
A Community in Mourning and a Hero's Bravery
Just 400 yards from the scene of carnage, a second bridge became a pathway for grief. Throughout Monday, thousands of mourners formed a continuous stream towards the Bondi Pavilion, carrying bouquets of chrysanthemums, lilies, and dahlias. The floral tribute grew into a vast sea of remembrance.
Amid the tragedy, stories of extraordinary courage emerged. Ahmed el Ahmed, hailed as the hero of Bondi, was filmed wrestling a gun from one of the attackers. He sustained gunshot wounds during the struggle and is now awaiting surgery. His actions undoubtedly prevented further loss of life.
The vigil drew people from all walks of life: Jewish community members, interfaith leaders, politicians, military personnel, lifeguards, and everyday Australians. Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, who was locked down in a nearby pub, spoke of his disbelief, stating the attack had shattered the illusion of Australia as a universally safe destination.
Anger and Calls for Action on Rising Hate
The profound grief was matched by palpable anger within the Jewish community and beyond. Many speakers directly linked the massacre to a perceived escalation of unchecked antisemitism. Rabbi Yossi Friedman, former senior rabbi at Sydney's Maroubra Synagogue, voiced the collective anguish and frustration.
"I think when hate goes unchecked for too long, and when people see there aren't consequences... then one thing leads to another and it ends with a tragedy," Rabbi Friedman said. He highlighted a two-year trend of increasing antisemitic attacks, from graffiti to synagogue firebombings.
The anger briefly spilled over when two pro-Palestinian supporters arrived at the vigil and began filming mourners. They were swiftly confronted and led away, with one attendee labelling their actions "antagonistic."
Rabbi Friedman also pointed to broader security failures, calling for comprehensive immigration screening for people from war-torn regions and a policy of zero tolerance for hate. He described the grim reality for Jewish families, where police and security guards at school gates have become a sad normality.
As darkness fell, the mourners gathered in a semi-circle around the flowers. Their voices united in a haunting rendition of the Memorial Prayer and the Prayer for Peace, a poignant counterpoint to the violence of the previous night. Meanwhile, forensic teams continued their work a hundred yards away, and the waves of Bondi Beach crashed on, forever changed.
