NSW Premier Addresses Police Response Amid Bondi Attack Fallout

Tue Dec 16 2025 18:21:11 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of a violent attack at a Jewish festival in Bondi Beach, NSW Premier Chris Minns defends police actions amidst rising concerns about security.

The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, stands by the police response to a tragic attack during a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, where two gunmen killed 15 and injured many more. Despite criticisms regarding the time taken to neutralize the threats, Minns emphasized the bravery of officers on duty. Additionally, there are ongoing discussions regarding the adequacy of security measures at public events.

The New South Wales (NSW) premier has strongly rejected criticism of the police response to the attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, saying officers acted with bravery and integrity.

Some witnesses have suggested police were too slow to disarm the two gunmen, who killed 15 people and injured dozens at an event celebrating Hanukkah at Australia's best-known beach.

There are two officers in critical care... at the moment, Chris Minns said after sustained questioning from reporters. They weren't shot in the back as they were running away. They were shot in the front.

There have also been questions about whether adequate security was provided before the shooting took place.

They shoot, shoot, change the magazine and just shoot, one witness, Shmulik Scuri, told reporters the day of the assault, adding he thought officers froze.

Asked about these criticisms, Minns said the rush to conclusions about the police operation was disrespectful.

They didn't take a backward step. They engaged the gunmen on the footbridge with handguns. The offenders had long-range rifles, he elaborated.

If there's any suggestion that NSW Police didn't live up to their responsibilities to the people of this state, it should be rejected because it's not consistent with the facts.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon avoided questions about how many officers had been deployed to police the event in advance. He stated that police regularly patrol that area as we did on that day and that police presence was based on the threat that exists at the time.

Australia's security agency has reportedly flagged the younger alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, in 2019 but found no evidence suggesting he posed a violence risk.

Had there been intelligence that there was a particular threat at that location or to that event, we may have had a different policing response, Commissioner Lanyon commented.

Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, NSW Police established Operation Shelter to investigate antisemitic hate crimes and ensure regular patrols of high-risk locations, notably in Sydney's eastern suburbs, including Bondi.

Police received reports of gunfire in Bondi Beach at 18:47 on Sunday. The gunmen's shooting spree lasted about ten minutes before police managed to neutralize both, killing one and critically injuring the other.

Dr. Vincent Hurley, a former police officer and Macquarie University lecturer, pointed out the challenges law enforcement faces in chaotic situations like mass shootings, underscoring that no training can fully prepare them for every scenario.