In Australia, people today commemorate the 15 people who died in the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney a week ago. On the famous Bondi Beach, where two assassins shot at a crowd last Sunday, people had already arrived in the morning and sat together in a quiet circle on the beach. Flags in the country are flown at half-mast. At 6:47 p.m. (10:47 CET) – the time when the first shots were fired – the population is called upon to light a candle for the victims and to pause for a minute’s silence.
On today’s National Day of Remembrance, the Prime Minister of the state of New South Wales, where the terrorist attack occurred, called for the establishment of a commission of inquiry. It is the government’s duty to protect its citizens, Chris Minns told the ABC broadcaster. That didn’t happen last Sunday. The events before and on December 14th must therefore be examined and conclusions drawn. There are voices that are also calling for such a commission from the state government.
Legislative initiative against hatred and incitement
A bill to criminalize Islamic State (IS) flags and other “hateful” symbols and slogans will be introduced in the New South Wales Parliament on Monday. The investigative authorities assume that the attackers had connections to IS or were at least ideologically influenced by it. The call “Globalize the Intifada” should also be banned. This refers to the Palestinian uprisings against the Israeli occupation.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese admitted failures in the fight against anti-Semitism after the attack during the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah. He also announced stricter laws against hate preachers and hate speech. In addition, the strict gun laws are to be further tightened and hundreds of thousands of firearms are to be confiscated in the country.
