GRAPPLING WITH A GUNMAN
Many people have already marked the attack with unofficial acts of remembrance.
Hundreds of swimmers and surfers paddled out at Bondi Beach on Friday to join in a huge circle as they splashed the water and roared with emotion.
On Saturday, surf lifesavers lined the shore of Bondi Beach and fell silent in memory of the dead, some crying or hugging each other in a ceremony mirrored by other ocean rescuers around the country.
Gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police during the December 14 assault. An Indian national, he entered Australia on a visa in 1998.
His 24-year-old son Naveed, an Australian-born citizen who survived and remains in hospital under police guard, is facing charges including terrorism and 15 murders.
The mass shooting has sparked national soul-searching about antisemitism, anger over the failure to shield Jewish Australians from harm, and promises to stiffen laws and penalties against hatred, extremists, and gun ownership.
New South Wales premier Chris Minns said he would open an independent Royal Commission investigation into the shooting.
Asked on Sunday if the attack could have been avoided, he said: “I don’t know. I mean, it’s something that I stay up at night wondering about and worrying about.”
The Australian government has announced a suite of national measures to crack down on gun ownership and hate speech, promising stricter federal laws and harsher penalties.
The state of New South Wales says it plans to ban “hateful” slogans including “Globalise the Intifada” and symbols such as Islamic State group flags.
Source: CNA
