PM says Ahmed al-Ahmed ‘the best of our country’ after hospital visit
Luca Ittimani
Anthony Albanese has praised the man who tackled a Bondi shooter as an inspiration to all Australians and “the best of our country”.
The prime minister has just left St George hospital after visiting Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, who he said had been visiting Bondi on Sunday with friend and family. Albanese spoke to Ahmed about the Syrian-born man’s thought processes, telling reporters:
He was trying to get a cup of coffee. Simple as that. And found himself at a moment where people were being shot in front of him. He decided to take action and his bravery is an inspiration for all Australians. He is a very humble man.
Albanese said it had been a great honour to meet Ahmed:
“At a moment where we have seen evil perpetrated, he shines out as an example of the strength of humanity. We are a brave country. Ahmed al-Ahmed represents the best of our country.
The prime minister said he met Ahmed’s mother and father, visiting from Syria, who were very proud of their son. Ahmed had already been in surgery and would undergo further operations on Wednesday, he added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to media at St George hospital Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 20.27 EST
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Caitlin Cassidy
Recap: Tuesday morning at Bondi
The crowd of mourners at Bondi Pavilion was quiet and sombre on Tuesday. A diverse array gathered, from dog walkers to babies in strollers and elderly couples in running gear.
Some wrapped their arms around each other, whilst others carried flowers to lay at an ever-growing memorial. A woman still in her bathers and towel stared at the display with tears flowing down her cheeks. Many stood arms crossed in reflective silence.
A Jewish group was handing out free sufganiyot – a traditional Jewish doughnut popular during Hanukkah – and leading prayers.
The Australian and Israeli flags were hung at the pavilion’s gates.
A portion of Campbell Parade was still cut off to traffic, with police tape hung by strewn electric bicycles. There was still a large police presence on the ground, as well as council vehicles sweeping the streets.
Bondi Beach also remained cut off to traffic, though some still entered the surf or walked on the shoreline. Beside Archer Park, where the suiting shook place, the outdoor Sunset Cinema still looked abandoned, with bean bags strewn across the grass and the fencing half fallen on the ground.
Among those to visit the pavilion and pay their respects were the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, Liberal MP Julian Leeser, the Sydney Swans Football Club, Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, the NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, and the local member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender.
Updated at 20.58 EST
PM visits heroic bystander in hospital: video
Albanese has shared a video of his visit with Bondi hero Ahmed al Ahmed. In the video, he says:
Ahmed your heart is strong. Your courage is inspiring.
In response, Ahmed puts his hand on his heart and says, “Thank you very much.”
The PM posted the video with the caption:
Ahmed, you are an Australian hero.
You put yourself at risk to save others, running towards danger on Bondi Beach and disarming a terrorist.
In the worst of times, we see the best of Australians. And that’s exactly what we saw on Sunday night.
On behalf of every Australian, I say thank you.
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Updated at 20.43 EST
Benita Kolovos
The daughter of Bondi terror attack victim Reuven Morrison says her father is the man seen in footage hurling an object at gunman Sajid Akram after he had been disarmed by bystander Ahmed al-Ahmed.
Speaking on CBS News, Sheina Gutnick says her father “jumped up the second the shooting started”. She went on:
He managed to throw bricks, he was screaming at the terrorist, and protecting his community, he was shot dead. If there was one way for him to go on this earth, it would be fighting a terrorist. There was no other way he would be taken from us. He went down fighting, protecting the people he loved most.
Asked if that was in his character, Gutnick said: “Yes – he’s not one to lie down, he is one to run towards danger … That’s my Dad. As I called him, my Tati, in Yiddish”:
Everyone [who] knew him knew the incredible man that was just too big for this world. The light that he added, his absolute immense and endless generosity, his sense of humour. He was just the most incredible person.
Gutnick blamed the Australian government for his death, saying “they have had the warning signs for so long”.
Updated at 20.33 EST
Albanese added:
We will not allow this country to be divided.
That is what the terrorists seek. We will unite. We will embrace each other and we will get through this.
Updated at 20.29 EST
PM says Ahmed al-Ahmed ‘the best of our country’ after hospital visitLuca Ittimani
Anthony Albanese has praised the man who tackled a Bondi shooter as an inspiration to all Australians and “the best of our country”.
The prime minister has just left St George hospital after visiting Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, who he said had been visiting Bondi on Sunday with friend and family. Albanese spoke to Ahmed about the Syrian-born man’s thought processes, telling reporters:
He was trying to get a cup of coffee. Simple as that. And found himself at a moment where people were being shot in front of him. He decided to take action and his bravery is an inspiration for all Australians. He is a very humble man.
Albanese said it had been a great honour to meet Ahmed:
“At a moment where we have seen evil perpetrated, he shines out as an example of the strength of humanity. We are a brave country. Ahmed al-Ahmed represents the best of our country.
The prime minister said he met Ahmed’s mother and father, visiting from Syria, who were very proud of their son. Ahmed had already been in surgery and would undergo further operations on Wednesday, he added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to media at St George hospital Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 20.27 EST
Nick Visser
Two NSW police officers remain in hospital in ‘serious but stable’ condition
NSW police said last night that two officers remain in hospital in a “serious but stable” condition.
As reported in the blog earlier, one officer has been named by police as Constable Scott Dyson, who has been attached to Bondi’s local eastern suburbs area command for 18 months.
The other officer has not been identified.
Constable Scott Dyson. Photograph: NSW PoliceShare
Updated at 20.27 EST
Mike Hytner
Adelaide Test to receive increased security as precautionary measure
Cricket fans heading to Adelaide Oval for the start of the third Ashes Test have been reassured that there is no increased threat level following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, but extra security will be put in place in and around the ground as a precautionary measure.
South Australia’s police commissioner, Grant Stevens, said special security-response police armed with rifles will be present at the match starting on Wednesday – the first major sporting event to be held since Sunday’s shooting – but fans should not be alarmed.
There’s a balance between the concern about police officers carrying rifles in and about the community, balanced with the need for us to be able to effectively respond to an event, should an event occur and these officers are specifically trained for that purpose.
There’s no intelligence at this time to indicate that there are any increased levels of threat or security risks around the cricket or any other community event.
But notwithstanding that, we apply a level of diligence to make sure that people attending can do so with that confidence that they are attending a safe and well-managed event.
Updated at 20.12 EST
Howard says his gun laws banning semiautomatic and automatic weapons prevented ‘infinitely bigger’ death toll
Asked about whether he supports reform on gun licenses and gun ownership, Howard says he’s not “aware of a crackdown”.
Last night’s national cabinet agreed to reform gun laws, including to stop gun licenses being granted in perpetuity.
Howard says that his gun laws, legislated after the Port Arthur massacre, would have stopped this tragedy having an even higher death toll.
What I am aware of that if the guns that my crackdown removed after Port Arthur had still been legally available, in other words automatic and semiautomatic weapons, the death toll gruesome though it was, it would be infinitely bigger.
Howard says he is open to changes to the legislation but concedes that there will always be “too many” guns in Australia.
There are truth there are too many guns in our community. People ignore laws, and it’s the potency of the weapon that was so drastically changed after Port Arthur. Just imagine if one of those criminals had had access to an automatic or semiautomatic weapon.
Former prime minister John Howard. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 20.29 EST
Howard accuses Albanese of failing to provide ‘moral leadership’ on denouncing antisemitism
Krishani Dhanji
Former PM John Howard is now speaking to journalists out of Sydney, and again says Anthony Albanese and foreign Penny Wong have not done enough over the past two years since 7 October 2023 to combat antisemitism.
Howard says Albanese hasn’t provided “moral leadership” in responding to antisemitism.
His greatest failure is not to provide the moral leadership that a prime minister can in denouncing antisemitism.
There is little doubt since 7 October 2023, not enough has been done by those who command authority and respect in our society to prevent cauterise and denounce the spread of antisemitism. And I hope that this terrible event will be a wake-up call to those who have been asleep at the wheel on this issue …
I’m ashamed of the fact that our relationship with Israel has broken down. Israel has been an ally of Australia.
He again celebrates the bravery of Ahmed al-Ahmed as well as the police and emergency workers who saved lives at the scene.
Updated at 20.04 EST
Krishani Dhanji
John Howard praises Ahmed al-Ahmed’s courage
Jumping back to John Howard’s interview on Sky News, the former prime minister lauds the bravery of Ahmed al-Ahmed, who tackled one of the alleged gunmen and took his weapon from him.
Ahmed is in St George hospital – currently receiving a visit from the PM – while he recovers.
Howard says Ahmed’s actions are a reminder that the community should “not lose faith in the Australian achievement”.
I think that the single act of greatest courage we’ve seen is that magnificent man who tackled the bloke with the gun, and I understand he’s a Muslim … that is a reminder that there are good people of every persuasion in this wonderful country about and although it’s a terrible tragedy and a reminder that anything can happen here, we should not lose faith in the Australian achievement.
Updated at 20.01 EST
Luca Ittimani
Prime minister visits Ahmed in hospital
Anthony Albanese is visiting the man who was injured disarming a Bondi gunman on Sunday.
The prime minister has just walked into St George hospital, where Ahmed al-Ahmed is recovering from his first round of surgery.
Albanese has praised Ahmed as a hero, as has the NSW premier. Chris Minns, who visited Ahmed in hospital and spoke to him on Monday night.
Anthony Albanese arrives at St George hospital on Tuesday, 16 December. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 19.47 EST
Howard continues Liberal attacks on Albanese claiming gun law changes are a ‘diversion’ to addressing antisemitism
Former Liberal prime minister, John Howard, says Anthony Albanese has let down Jewish Australians, and us using gun law changes as a “diversion” instead of tackling antisemitism.
Howard first brought in strict gun control in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 when 35 people were shot dead. Last night, after a national cabinet meeting, Albanese said there would be a further tightening of the laws.
But in an interview with Sky News, Howard says:
I don’t want that … to be degraded into a debate about changes to gun [laws], because that is a diversion. The issue here is antisemitism, the failure of the last two years has been that of the federal government, led by the prime minister Anthony Albanese, to bring sufficient energy to a broad-based attack on the evil of antisemitism.
Updated at 19.43 EST