Australia To Further Tighten Gun Laws Following Bondi Beach Hanukkah Mass Shooting
Australia’s leaders have promised that they will be taking an immediate overhaul of their already tough gun control laws after a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration occurred on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
At least 15 people died during the attack with 38 being injured and treated at the hospital. Parts of the new measures proposed include a limit on the amount of guns someone can own as well as a review of licenses held over long-periods of time. These additions mark a significant update of Australia’s national firearms agreement which was made in 1996 after a gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania. The initial agreement made nearly 30 years ago essentially banned rapid-fire rifles.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated:
“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary. Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws.”
Bondi Beach is known for being “an icon of Australia’s cultural life.” Over the weekend, thousands of individuals gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea event to celebrate the beginning of the Jewish holiday with food and festivities.
Albanese called this attack an “act of anti-semetic terrorism that struck the heart of the nation,” according to AP.
Police haven’t revealed the names of the two suspected gunmen, but have identified them as a father and son. The 50-year-old father died at the scene while his 24-year-old son is currently in a coma in the hospital.
One of the 38 victims currently being treated in the hospital is 42-year-old fruit shop owner and father of two Ahmed al Ahmed, who was captured on video tackling and disarming one of the assailants. During the struggle to disarm the shooter, Al Ahmed was shot in the shoulder and underwent surgery on Monday, according to his family who also stated that the hero is an Australian citizen who initially migrated there from Syria in 2006.
Al Ahmed’s parents also pointed out that their son had a background in the Syrian security forces.
“My son has always been brave. He helps people. He’s like that,” his mother, Malakeh Hasan al Ahmed, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Albanese confirmed that the Australian Security Intelligence Organization investigated the younger suspected gunman back in 2019 for six months. They were examining the mans ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State group cell.
“He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence,” Albanese said.
This tragedy marks the deadliest shooting in three decades for Australia since the 1996 massacre. Now, Albanese’s proposals to limit the amount of guns someone can own and review licenses come after authorities discovered the older suspect had held a gun license for a decade and owned six guns legally.
Federal and state government leaders are also proposing a restriction on gun ownership to Australian citizens. They also are proposing the “additional use of criminal intelligence” when deciding who can get a gun license.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales where Sydney is the state capital, stated that his state’s gun laws would also be changing. “If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?”
This recent tragic massacre has highlighted Australia’s past year of anti-semetic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. Synagogues and cars have been torched, homes and businesses have been vandalized, and Jewish citizens have been attacked in both cities.
Citizens are questioning whether or not Albanese and his government had done enough to curb the rise in antisemitism, with Jewish leaders expressing major fear and frustration over what could’ve been done to prevent this attack.
“There’s been a heap of inaction,” said Lawrence Stand, a Sydney man who was present at the shooting.
“I think the federal government has made a number of missteps on antisemitism,” Alex Ryvchin, spokesperson for the Australian Council of Executive Jewry, told reporters.
“I think when an attack such as what we saw yesterday takes place, the paramount and fundamental duty of the government is the protection of its citizens, so there’s been an immense failure.”
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
