Australia plans gun buyback after Bondi massacre, as surfers honour victims

Australia has announced a nationwide gun buyback scheme following the mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday, as hundreds of surfers and swimmers gathered there to pay tribute to the victims.

The buyback will mirror gun reforms introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, when a lone gunman killed 35 people and prompted Australia to adopt some of the world’s strictest firearms laws.

“Australia’s gun laws were last significantly strengthened following the Port Arthur tragedy. What happened at Bondi shows we need to remove more guns from our streets,” Albanese told reporters.

Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday when two gunmen opened fire on crowds celebrating Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, at Bondi.

One of the attackers, a 50-year-old man shot dead by police at the scene, held a firearms licence and owned six registered guns, fuelling renewed criticism that existing laws need tightening.

Albanese said there are about four million firearms in Australia. The buyback will target surplus, newly banned and illegal weapons, with costs shared between federal and state governments.

Following Port Arthur, authorities recovered about 640,000 prohibited firearms through a buyback programme, compensating owners at a total cost of around A$304 million (£160 million). New Zealand introduced similar reforms, including a gun buyback, after the 2019 Christchurch terror attack.

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Seven men detained

Under mounting pressure from critics who say his centre-left government has failed to adequately tackle a rise in antisemitism since the Gaza war began, Albanese said hate laws would also be strengthened.

The government said it has consistently condemned antisemitism over the past two years and has passed legislation criminalising hate speech. It also expelled Iran’s ambassador after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks.

Authorities believe Sunday’s shooting was inspired by Islamic State, prompting police to step up patrols to prevent further violence.

Late on Thursday, police said they intercepted two vehicles and detained seven men in Sydney’s south-west following intelligence suggesting a “violent act was possibly being planned”.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the men could be released once assessments were complete, as the specific threat they posed remained unclear, but officers would continue to monitor them.

Police suspected the group intended to travel to Bondi and said they were unwilling to take any chances.

While there was no confirmed link between the detained men and the Bondi gunmen, Lanyon said they likely shared similar extremist views.

Islamic State described the Bondi attack as a “source of pride” in an article posted on its Telegram channel, though it stopped short of formally claiming responsibility.

Extra police and security were deployed at Sydney’s Lakemba mosque, one of the country’s largest, ahead of Friday prayers, according to Australian media.

Australia’s Jewish community gathered at Bondi Beach for prayers on Friday, as hundreds of swimmers and surfers formed a large circle offshore in a show of solidarity.

Community leaders said the support was deeply moving amid growing fears over a rise in antisemitic incidents.

“Over the past two years, many people have questioned whether we are still welcome in Australia after seeing calls for our deaths on the streets week after week,” Rabbi Yosef Eichenblatt of Sydney’s Central Synagogue told ABC News.

“To witness such an outpouring of love and support has been incredibly heart-warming and deeply therapeutic.”

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