Australia observes day of mourning for victims of Bondi Beach mass shooting 

Australia is observing a national day of mourning for victims of last month’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, when two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish celebration, killing 15 people.

Flags across Australia will fly at half-staff on Thursday to remember the victims of the December 14 shooting, with a moment of silence planned for 7:01 pm Sydney time (08:01 GMT).

Memorial services will be held at the Sydney Opera House and Bondi’s Chabad House, a Jewish community centre. Most of the 15 victims of the attack were Jewish, including a 10-year-old child.

The theme of the memorials is “Light will win”, and the government will stage light installations in the capital of Canberra and other cities featuring pillars of light for each of the 15 victims.

The events will also honour the many people who offered assistance during or after the December attack, including first responders and Bondi shop owner Ahmed al-Ahmed, who wrestled a gun from one of the attackers.

“When we look to Bondi, we don’t just see a beach,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.

“We see it as part of our promise to the world. It’s a welcoming embrace, a famous crescent of sand and water where there’s room for everyone,” Albanese said in a statement.

“This is a place where nothing should break except for the waves, but a lot broke that night. It was a tragic attack, not just on Jewish Australians, but on the Australian way of life,” he said.

Bondi is home to one of Australia’s most famous beaches, but the neighbourhood is also historically known for its large Jewish community.

The Bondi shooting was the deadliest attack of its kind in 30 years.

Suspect Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police during the Bondi Beach attack. An Indian national, he entered Australia on a visa in 1998. His 24-year-old son, Naveed, an Australian-born citizen who remains in prison, has been charged with terrorism and 15 murders.

Police say the pair were inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group.

This week, the Australian parliament approved tougher gun laws in the wake of the attack, which will include a gun buyback scheme and tighter gun licence checks.

Albanese earlier this month also launched a royal commission into anti-Semitism and social cohesion as part of a wider crackdown on hate crimes.