Bondi Beach shooting: Australia promises crackdown on hate as victim Matilda is farewelled

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday promised a crackdown on hate speech in the wake of an attack on a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, as the youngest of 15 victims was laid to rest.

Yellow toy bees topped the coffin of 10-year-old Matilda, who was remembered as a ‘ray of sunshine’ who loved animals and dancing.

Matilda’s middle name was Bee, which inspired attendees to wear bee stickers, and bee-themed toys and balloons, while some mourners wore yellow. Matilda’s family has asked the media not to use their surname.

“The tragic, so totally cruel, unfathomable murder of young Matilda is something to all of us as if our own daughter was taken from us,” said Rabbi Yehoram Ulman. “Matilda grew up like a child would, loving what children love. She loved the outdoors, animals. She went to school, she had friends, everybody loved her.”

The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire as hundreds of people celebrated Hanukkah on Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach on Sunday. The attack, which shocked the nation and led to fears over rising antisemitism, appears to have been inspired by the Islamic State, authorities say.

The line outside the hall where Matilda’s funeral was held in Sydney’s eastern suburbs snaked down the street. Many mourners who could not get in watched the service on a screen outside the building.

“It’s like your heart’s been ripped out. It’s terrible … no one wants this,” said Jae Glover, 25, as he handed out bee stickers.

“It’s a feeling; it could have been avoided. Antisemitism has now been brewing in Australia for over two years.”

GOVERNMENT PLEDGES ACTION ON HATE SPEECH

Criticised by many in the Jewish community for not doing enough to combat a rise in antisemitism since the start of the war in Gaza, Albanese said the government will seek to introduce legislation that makes it easier to charge people promoting hate speech and violence. Penalties would be increased, cancelling or refusing visas would be made easier and a regime for targeting organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech would be developed, he said.

“Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge much more,” Albanese told a news conference announcing the reforms.

Albanese’s government has said it has consistently denounced antisemitism over the last two years. It passed legislation to criminalise hate speech and in August it expelled the Iranian ambassador after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

Still, antisemitic incidents have been mounting. A 19-year-old Sydney man was charged and will face court on Thursday after allegedly threatening violence towards a Jewish person on a flight from Bali to Sydney on Wednesday.

“Police will allege the man made antisemitic threats and hand gestures indicating violence towards the alleged victim, who the man knew to be affiliated with the Jewish community,” Australian Federal Police said on Thursday.

PHILIPPINES, ISLAMIC STATE LINKS INVESTIGATED

Police allege the attack was carried out by Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed. Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences on Wednesday after waking from a coma, including murder and terror charges.

The centre-left Labor government has ruled out holding a Royal Commission, a high-level inquiry with judicial powers, into the shootings for now.

On Wednesday, the leader of New South Wales where the attack took place said he would next week recall the state parliament to pass urgent reforms on gun laws.

Police are looking into Australia-based Islamic State networks as well as the gunmen’s alleged links to militants in the Philippines.

The Philippines’ National Security Council on Wednesday said that while Sajid Akram and his son had been in the country for a month in November, the pair had not engaged in any military training.

Islamic State-linked networks are known to operate in the Philippines and have wielded some influence in the south of the country.

“There is no valid report or confirmation that the two received any form of military training while in the country, and no evidence supports such a claim at present,” Philippine national security adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement.