Politics Australia's government wants to confiscate firearms en masse
Australia's government wants to drastically reduce the number of firearms in the country following the devastating terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national buyback program for firearms. For this Sunday, he declared a "Day of Remembrance" for the victims of the attack, which left 15 people dead last weekend, on which flags will be flown at half-mast. Next year, there will also be a national day of mourning.
19.12.2025, 07:05
SDA
Already today, hundreds of surfers near the scene of the crime at Bondi Beach commemorated the victims by forming a large circle in the sea with surfboards and observing a minute's silence for the 15 fatalities. Members of the Jewish community had previously prayed at Australia's most famous beach, which had been largely reopened to the public the day before and was now packed with surfers and swimmers.
Islamic State terrorist militia condones attack
Two attackers - a father and his son - had shot at a crowd there on Sunday during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. 15 victims are still being treated in hospital. The father was shot dead by the police and his son was taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds, where he has been under guard ever since.
The investigating authorities assume that the two attackers had links to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia or were at least ideologically influenced by it. Although IS itself has not directly claimed responsibility for the attack, it has expressly condoned it.
Not since the 1996 shooting rampage on the island of Tasmania, in which 35 people were killed in the town of Port Arthur, has there been such a serious case of gun violence in Australia. Even then, a government buy-back program for firearms was implemented in response to the bloodshed.
Despite the tightening of gun laws almost 30 years ago, there are now around four million firearms in Australia, Prime Minister Albanese said at a press conference - more than before the Port Arthur rampage. "The horrific events in Bondi show that we need to get more guns off our streets."
Gun laws to become even stricter
The government now wants to introduce legislation for a new firearms buyback program. As in the 1990s, hundreds of thousands of pistols and rifles are expected to be handed in and then destroyed. It is not yet clear when this will begin. The cost of the buyback program is to be shared by the federal government and the states.
"We know that one of these terrorists had a gun ownership card and six firearms, even though he lived in the middle of a Sydney suburb, Bonnyrigg. There is no reason why someone in this situation would need so many guns," Albanese said.
The gun laws are therefore to be made even stricter. Among other things, the accelerated introduction of a national firearms register is planned. In addition, the number of weapons that an individual may own is to be limited, Australian citizenship is to be a prerequisite for acquiring a firearms license in future and the list of legally available weapons is to be shortened further.
Nationwide minute's silence
Albanese called on his fellow countrymen to light a candle in memory of the victims on Sunday evening at 18:46 - the time when the first shots were fired at Bondi Beach. There will also be a nationwide minute's silence. The New South Wales state government announced that flags would be flown at half-mast and buildings would be illuminated in yellow, in reference to the Jewish Festival of Lights. Lights would also be projected into the sky from Bondi Beach.
"It is a day of remembrance and silence in the face of the terrible events and shocking crimes of last Sunday," said the Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns. "At the same time, it is a mark of national respect for the victims."
Police speak out after dramatic operation
Meanwhile, the head of the state police, Mal Lanyon, indicated that seven men arrested the day before in a spectacular operation by special forces in south-west Sydney could be released shortly. According to the information available, Bondi may have been one of several places the men intended to visit.
The reason for the men's journey from Melbourne is not known. According to media reports, no connection to the attackers has been established. No weapons were found on the suspects either.
"Although the specific threat posed by the men is unknown, I can say that the potential for an act of violence was so high that we did not want to tolerate the risk and acted accordingly," said Lanyon. After examining the evidence, there was no longer any reason to detain the men. According to media reports, heavily armed anti-terrorist units had rammed their car and forced it off the road, and a second vehicle had also been stopped. The officers fired rubber bullets.
