The nation watched in horror as a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach turned into a slaughter on December 14, when gunmen opened fire on a crowd of worshippers and families. This was no random act of street violence — it was a targeted assault on Jewish Australians enjoying a night of light and song, and the scale of the carnage demands our righteous outrage and grief. Australians and citizens of free countries everywhere deserve answers about how this evil walked into a public festival.
Officials now say the attackers were a father and son and that early evidence points to inspiration from the Islamic State, with homemade flags and improvised explosives found in their vehicle. Reports that the men traveled to the southern Philippines in the weeks before the attack highlight the chilling international reach of jihadist networks and the deadly consequences when extremist ideology is left to fester. This is not a cultural misunderstanding or a fringe protest gone wrong — it is terrorism that must be treated with the full force of law and intelligence.
The human toll is devastating: dozens wounded, many in critical condition, and scores of families shattered by the loss of loved ones ranging from children to the elderly. Among the dead were community leaders and a Holocaust survivor — a brutal reminder that the hatreds of the last century can still find murderous expression today. As hospitals filled and the nation mourned, Australians lined up to give blood and lay flowers, proving once again that ordinary people will answer horror with sacrifice and solidarity.
In the midst of terror came courage: a bystander charged one of the gunmen, wrestled away a rifle, and likely saved countless lives — a real-life hero in a white shirt who embodied the best of our societies when leaders falter. That bravery, honored around the world, deserves every bit of praise and support, including practical help for the wounded and protection for those who put themselves in harm’s way to save others. We should celebrate such heroism while demanding that our institutions stop depending on miracles to keep people safe.
Jewish communities and allies held vigils from Sydney to Manchester, London, and the United States, lighting Hanukkah candles in memory of the dead and in defiance of the darkness this attack tried to thrust upon them. Those solemn gatherings are a statement that faith will not be driven underground and that the global Jewish family will not be abandoned by the nations where they live. Leaders who claim solidarity must match candlelight with action — real security, not platitudes.
Make no mistake: calls from the political left to simply tighten gun laws after this tragedy are a predictable and inadequate reflex that ignores the intelligence and border failures that enabled this attack. Restricting firearms further will not stop ideologically driven terrorists who acquire weapons by other means or who are prepared to die for their cause; what is required are tougher immigration vetting where appropriate, relentless surveillance of radical networks, and better resourcing for counterterrorism. If governments insist on treating terrorism as a crime of convenience rather than an existential threat, more nights like this will follow.
Now is the time for patriotic action — to stand with Jewish neighbors, fund security for synagogues and community centers, and hold politicians accountable for real preventive measures. We must honor the victims by demanding that our societies protect the vulnerable, secure our borders against radical networks, and reject the complacency and political correctness that leave communities exposed. Above all, hardworking citizens must never surrender public life to fear; instead we must stand together, vigilant and united, until the light of freedom outshines the darkest impulses of hatred.
