Horror and heroism in Bondi: what we know about the antisemitic terror attack – The Latest

Today in Focus

The Guardian

Daily News, News

4.6 • 5.7K Ratings

🗓️ 15 December 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

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Summary

Australia suffered one of the deadliest massacres in its modern history on Sunday when two gunmen opened fire on a Jewish celebration at Bondi beach in Sydney. At least 16 people died, including one of the alleged gunmen, with more than 40 wounded. The victims include a 10-year-old child, a Holocaust survivor and a London-born rabbi. The alleged gunmen behind the attack are a father and son, who are suspected of using legally obtained firearms to commit the massacre. One of the suspects, Naveed Akram, 24, was known to New South Wales police and security agencies. The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is facing questions about gun law reform and security failings as the country reels from the attack. Lucy Hough talks to the Guardian Australia senior reporter Ben Doherty – watch on YouTube. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is The Guardian.
0:14.2	We heard what initially we thought were fireworks going off,
0:17.6	but then all of a sudden that was joined by police sirens, ambulance sirens,
0:22.6	community WhatsApp groups lit up basically saying something's happening at Bondi, don't come to Bondi.
0:28.6	There has been a devastating terrorist incident at Bondi. This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians,
0:36.6	an act of evil anti-Semitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.
0:44.3	There are many communities here who are really suffering, who are deeply traumatised and will take years to reconcile and understand what's happened here.
0:52.9	In particular, of course, the Jewish community.
0:55.3	What do we know so far about the shocking anti-Semitic terror attack at Bondi Beach?
1:01.3	From the Guardians today in focus, this is the latest with me, Lucy Hoff.
1:08.5	I'm joined by Ben Doherty, who's a senior reporter at Guardian Australia. Ben, thanks so much for
1:12.8	joining us. I know it's late where you are. You live very close to Bondi Beach, so you heard
1:20.4	gunshots ringing out yesterday, as I understand. Tell me about when you realised that something
1:26.4	serious was going on. Hi Lucy. Yes,
1:29.1	I do live very close. I live at the south end of Bondi Beach. I think you can see the beach in
1:33.7	the darkness behind me. I'm a lifesaver at the next beach south at Tamarama and I've been on patrol
1:39.4	yesterday afternoon on Sunday. It was a glorious, sunny, brilliant day, and I'd come home and I was home
1:45.0	with my family, and we heard what initially we thought were fireworks going off and didn't
1:50.0	think too much of it. But then all of a sudden, that was joined by police sirens, ambulance sirens.
1:57.2	We heard helicopters go into the air, and WhatsApp groups, community WhatsApp groups,
2:01.8	lit up basically saying something's happening at Bondi. Does anyone know what's happening at
2:05.9	Bondi? Don't come to Bondi. And we realised very quickly this was a very serious, very dramatic
	...

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