Christmas celebrations muted at Bondi as Australians grieve after deadly shooting

Christmas celebrations were muted astatine Sydney's famed Bondi Beach connected Thursday successful the aftermath of a panic onslaught that killed 15 radical determination much than a week ago, arsenic the assemblage continued to grapple with the country's deadliest wide shooting successful astir 3 decades.

Police patrolled crossed the beachfront successful Bondi, a accepted Christmas destination, arsenic hundreds of people, galore wearing Santa hats, gathered connected the sands.

"I deliberation it's tragic, and I deliberation everybody respects and is precise bittersweet for what happened, and I deliberation radical present are retired connected the beach, due to the fact that it's similar a solemnisation but everybody has got it successful their memories and everybody is respectful of what happened," British tourer Mark Conroy told Reuters.

"Everyone is feeling for the household and friends who are going done the worst imaginable happening you could imagine."

The weapon onslaught connected December 14 astatine a Jewish Hannukah solemnisation has prompted calls for stricter weapon laws and tougher enactment against antisemitism, portion nationalist gathering rules successful Sydney person been tightened nether caller laws passed connected Wednesday.

Beachgoers were seen taking photos adjacent to a Christmas histrion portion immoderate posed with lifeguards, though windy upwind conditions look to bladed crowds.

"It's not the champion conditions for Christmas Day today, it's a spot choppy. ... truthful not ideal, but radical are inactive here," Surf Life Saving Patrol Captain Thomas Hough said.

Flags flew astatine fractional mast extracurricular the heritage-listed Bondi Pavilion gathering adjacent the tract of the attack, which constabulary accidental was allegedly carried retired by a begetter and son, inspired by the militant radical Islamic State.

In Melbourne, a car with a "Happy Chanukah!" motion was acceptable alight connected Christmas Day successful the city's southeast, with nary injuries reported, Australian media reported.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, facing mounting disapproval from opponents who reason his authorities has not done capable to curb a emergence successful antisemitism, called the firebombing of the car "just beyond comprehension."

"What benignant of evil ideology and thoughts astatine a clip similar this would motivate someone?," Albanese told reporters connected Thursday.

Since the commencement of Israel's warfare successful Gaza successful October 2023, determination person been attacks against synagogues, Jewish buildings and cars successful Australia.