key points
- Thousands of people holding giant paddles on Bondi Beach
- Australia announces gun buyback scheme
- Mourners are preparing for three more funerals
Here’s a summary of Friday’s news from the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach, which targeted Sydney’s Jewish community.
Surfers and swimmers observe a minute of silence
Thousands of surfers, swimmers and paddlers formed a giant circle in the waters off Bondi Beach on Friday morning.
They observed a minute’s silence for the 15 people killed and others injured in Sunday’s terrorist attack.
“It’s a very proud moment to be part of the community and see everyone come together in solidarity,” said surfer Matt Douglas, who participated. Australian Financial Review,
Bondi is extremely popular with surfers, sea swimmers and paddleboarders, and dozens of surfers were in the water when two gunmen opened fire on Sunday evening.
Surf lifesavers will resume their regular patrols in Bondi from Saturday, national broadcaster ABC reports.
Australia announces gun buyback scheme, national day of mourning
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a gun buyback scheme “to help get guns off our streets”.
It will target surplus and newly banned guns as well as illegal firearms.
Speaking at a news conference Friday morning, Albanese also addressed criticism of the changes to gun laws.
One of the shooters, who lived in Bonnyrigg, a suburb of Sydney, legally owned six weapons.
“If a person in Bonnyrigg needs six high-powered rifles and is able to get them under the current licensing scheme, there is something wrong,” Albanese said. “I think Australians can see that.”
He said he would work with the Jewish community to ratify a national day of mourning for the Bondi attack.
The federal government and the state of NSW, where Sydney is located, have declared the following Sunday, 21 December, as a day of reflection in honor of the victims. Flags will remain at half mast.
They have asked people across Australia to light candles at 6:47 pm Sydney time (11:47 UST/GMT), the same time the attacks began a week ago.
The last rites of four victims will be held on Friday
Loved ones have bid farewell to Bondi couple Boris Gurman, aged 69, and his wife Sophia, aged 61. He has been hailed as a hero for trying to stop one of the gunmen at the beginning of the attack.
Dashcam footage captured by a passing car shows Boris Gurman wrestling with a gunman and snatching his weapon.
It is believed that the attacker used another gun to shoot both of them.
The funeral of the couple, married for 34 years, was held in East Sydney on Friday morning.
Funerals for shooting victims Edith Brutman and Boris Tettelroyd will also be held.
more to come…
Edited by: Shawn Sinico