On Thursday, December 25, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the establishment of a national “Courage Award” to honor civilians and emergency responders who bravely stood up and fought against “extreme evil” during the anti-Semitic terror attack on Bondi Beach on December 14.
The terrorist attack resulted in the deaths of 15 people and injuries to dozens, marking the deadliest massacre in Australia since 1996 and casting a shadow over the country’s holiday season.
Albanese stated that in addition to the existing Australian honors and awards system, a special honor award would be created to recognize those who took risks to assist others during and after the attack. For instance, Syrian-Australian Muslim Ahmed al Ahmed disarmed one of the attackers during the Bondi Beach shooting, sustaining injuries in the process.
The attack was carried out by 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his son, 24-year-old Naveed Akram. The father was shot and killed on the spot by the police, while the son was critically injured and apprehended. Authorities charged them with being incited by ISIS ideology to launch the attack on the Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach.
Albanese, speaking at a press conference after a Christmas lunch hosted by a charity foundation in Sydney, remarked that this year’s Christmas was marked by a stark contrast between extreme violence and the “humanity’s brilliance.”
He said, “This Christmas has been different from the past, due to counter-terrorism operations and terror attacks driven by ISIS and anti-Semitic ideologies. We have witnessed the worst of humanity and also seen bravery, kindness, and compassion… those who ran towards danger.”
He emphasized that Australians have shown their “best humanity” in the face of evil.
On the same day, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged national unity and support for the Jewish community to get through this “heartbreaking and painful” period at the same press conference.
Minns stated, “Every Australian needs to embrace and support them, letting them know that Australians stand behind them. We stand with them and will help them through this difficult time.”
Just the day before, the New South Wales parliament passed the strictest gun reform laws in Australian history. The legislation limits the number of personal firearms to 4 (farmers and professional shooters allowed up to 10), reclassifies high-risk weapons like pump-action guns, shortens license validity to 2 years for only Australian citizens, and removes the appeal process for denied license applications.
Earlier this week, Minns introduced the proposed legislation, saying, “Gun reform alone cannot address hate or extremism issues, but we cannot sit idly by. We must restrict access to weapons, or it may lead to further violent events against citizens.”
The new law also prohibits the public display of terrorism symbols and grants police more authority to restrict public gatherings in specific areas following a terrorist attack.
Albanese also announced plans to further tighten Australia’s already strict federal gun laws.
This attack has shocked the nation, sparking widespread discussions and reflections on anti-Semitism, extremism, and gun control. At the same time, Australians have shown unity and support for the Jewish community.