A police officer comforts a member of the Jewish community at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday.DAVID GRAY/AFP/Getty Images
Canada’s Jewish community is calling on the government to ensure law enforcement ramps up patrols and takes proactive steps to protect their safety after an attack at Australia’s Bondi Beach that targeted a large group celebrating the start of Hanukkah.
Two men opened fire at an event taking place at the beach located seven kilometres from central Sydney. The attack left at least 15 victims dead, and at least 40 people injured, including two police officers, according to local authorities.
One gunman was fatally shot by police and the second, who was arrested, was in critical condition, they said.
The shooting follows a string of attacks on synagogues, Jewish institutions and individuals in Australia since Israel’s 2023 invasion of Gaza. Over the past two years, cities across Canada have seen protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, with police ramping up security at many Jewish institutions, particularly during religious holidays.
Earlier this year, Toronto’s city council passed a “bubble zone” bylaw to restrict protests around places of worship, daycares and schools.
The federal government is also working to pass Bill C-9, which proposes making it a crime to obstruct someone from accessing sites where Jews or other identifiable groups meet, among other changes.
Noah Shack, chief executive of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which advocates on behalf of Canada’s Jewish Federations, said there have been parallels between what the Canadian and Australian Jewish communities have experienced in the past two years.
“We really see this as the product of unchecked extremism taking root and the demonization of Jewish people,” he said in an interview Sunday. “The calls for violence targeting Jews that we have seen over and over again over the last couple of years, spurring horrific actions that we need to address very quickly and urgently.”
Global Affairs Canada spokesperson John Babcock said in a statement that the department is not aware of any Canadian citizens affected by the attack in Australia.
Mr. Shack said CIJA is in contact with law-enforcement officials and all levels of government to ensure steps are being taken to protect Canada’s Jewish community.
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He added that he is speaking to the federal government about urgently optimizing the Canada Community Security Program, which provides support for communities at risk of hate-motivated incidents to enhance security measures at gathering spaces.
Mr. Shack wants to see more funding for the program, as well as changes to how that funding is delivered. He also wants the government to introduce new legislation to prohibit the promotion of terrorism, he said.
Simon Wolle, the chief executive of B’nai Brith Canada, called on all levels of government to take “immediate and proactive measures” to safeguard Jewish lives.
“Our government cannot wait for blood to be shed in Canada before it acts,” he said.
Existing hate-crime laws must be enforced, Jewish schools, synagogues and community spaces protected, and extremist networks promoting violence and terrorism dismantled, he said.
Video contains distressing content: Gunmen killed at least 15 people and wounded dozens more at a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
Reuters
The Toronto-based Jewish Security Network said in an e-mail sent to various Jewish groups on Sunday that it asked the Toronto Police Service and York Regional Police to increase their presence and patrols around the community.
While the group had no information to suggest a specific threat, it said it was closely following developments in Sydney and assessing the situation for any potential local impact.
It also urged the Jewish community to demand more action from government and law enforcement.
“They must acknowledge that the threats are real, and that we hold them accountable for protecting our community,” it said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he was horrified to learn of the attacks and that Canada stands in solidarity with those affected.
“Canada stands with the people of Australia and Jewish people everywhere in sorrow, and determination never to bow to terrorism, violence, hatred and intimidation,” Mr. Carney said in an X post.
“Hanukkah is a time of light amidst the darkness, and a remembrance of the resilience of the Jewish people. May we all support and strengthen that resilience to protect our Jewish communities and to ensure more fundamentally that all people can thrive in every aspect of our society.”
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said on X that he has been in contact with his Australian counterpart to offer support.
“I want to reassure the Jewish community in Canada that federal law enforcement and security agencies are working with local police of jurisdiction to help ensure these events are safe,” he said.
Police services in some of Canada’s most populous cities said they were in contact with their respective Jewish communities to provide support.
“Throughout Hanukkah, you can expect an increased police presence in the Jewish community,” Toronto Police Service spokesperson Cindy Chung said in a statement, adding it is a proactive measure to ensure community safety and security.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says ‘the government will always stand with you’ during menorah lighting ceremony in Ottawa, following a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.
The Canadian Press
Montreal Police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant said they will increase their vigilance and visibility in areas where neighbourhood celebrations are taking place between now and the end of Hanukkah. The city’s sizable Jewish community has faced significant protests over the past two years.
Ottawa Police Service spokesperson Julie Kavanagh said the service has proactively increased its visibility and patrols throughout the holiday, including having a presence around religious institutions and community centres.
The Calgary Police Service said on social media it plans to bolster its presence at Monday’s menorah lighting at City Hall, and has increased patrols around synagogues and at local Hanukkah events.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on X that the attack in Australia is the result of fuelling and excusing hate.
“We must stand united and confront these vile attacks on western values and freedom wherever they exist, without hesitation and without the deafening silence of complicity,” he said. “We will never stop fighting against terror or for anyone to practice their faith in the open.”
With reports from the Associated Press