Indigenous politicians have condemned the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday, which killed 15 innocent people — including a 10-year-old child — with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price saying the event was long-predicted by Jewish groups.
The massacre occurred on Australia's most iconic beach, where hundreds had gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, and has left at least 42 others injured. Police have warned the death toll could rise further.
The terrorist attack on the Jewish community is the country's deadliest mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 and follows a surge in antisemitic attacks across Australia since the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.
Northern Territory Country-Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price described the attack as "foreseeable".
"No more so than by Australians of Jewish faith," she said.
Arguing Sunday's events would have been "unimaginable" before the protests at the Sydney Opera House two days after the October 7 attacks — which saw claims of anti-Semitic chanting and warnings from authorities for Jewish people to stay away for their own safety— the Senator, who has been a vocal critic of the government's handling of antisemitism, said it's an "utter disgrace that such heinous violence has occurred in our country".
"For now, I express my profound thoughts for those who have been injured, for those families who have lost loved ones, and for every Australian and tourist caught up in this abominable attack. I am praying for all involved," she said.
"With characteristic bravery and altruism, our police officers, paramedics, lifeguards and innocent bystanders responded. God bless these heroes. And God bless our doctors and nurses this evening."
Fellow NT Senator and Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, said Australians' "hearts are heavy" over the attacks.
"This horrific act of evil against our fellow Australians is not just an attack on our Jewish families, but on all families," she said. "We stand strong against antisemitism and hateful violence and embrace our brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith.
"May the Festival of Lights be a symbol shared across our country, so this light of love conquers the pain of such darkness."
Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father — who died at the scene — are alleged to have carried out the attacks, which NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon called a deliberate assault on the Jewish community.
Commissioner Lanyon said the older shooter was a licensed gun owner who brought six weapons to Bondi on Sunday.
Police also found several improvised explosive devices in a car on a road parallel to the beach. The vehicle is linked to one of the shooters.
Local fruit shop owner, Ahmed Al Ahmed, has been hailed as a hero after ripping the gun from the hands of one of the terrorists before he was shot twice by the other shooter from a nearby bridge.
Mr Al Ahmed, a 43-year-old from the Sutherland Shire, is now recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery.
Jewish community leaders have said the Bondi mass shooting has "fundamentally changed" Australia and are calling for stronger action against antisemitism.
Alex Ryvchin from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry told ABC News Breakfast the attack had taken rising antisemitism to a new extreme.
"This stops life, this destroyed whole worlds and things will always be different for us. Things can't go back to normal. It's fundamentally changed this country," he said.
"We've been changing incrementally but something like this, there's no coming back from it."
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