Thousands of Surfers and Swimmers at Bondi Beach Form Heart in Tribute to Victims of Mass Shooting at Hanukkah Event

Surfers and swimmers in Sydney paid tribute to victims of the recent terror attack at a Hanukkah event near Bondi Beach, paddling out to sea in a show of solidarity.

On the morning of Friday, Dec. 19, thousands entered the water while others gathered along the shore to remember those affected by the mass shooting on Sunday, Dec. 14. The attack killed 15 people and left 41 — including four children — hospitalized.

Photos from the scene showed paddle boarders, surfers, and swimmers forming a wide ring in the ocean, and at one point shaping into a heart as the crowd looked on from the beach.

The tribute took place about 500 feet from where the shooting occurred and was organized to “spread light, love, compassion and unity,” while honoring the “lives lost, pray for those on the journey to recovery and express gratitude to our brave first responders,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Among those killed were 10-year-old Matilda Poltavchenko; Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, who had welcomed a son in October; and married couple Boris Gurman, 69, and Sofia Gurman, 61. Ahmed al Ahmed, who disarmed one of the gunmen, has been widely praised for his actions.

The gathering came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a gun buyback scheme in the wake of the deadliest shooting Australia has seen in decades.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Albanese wrote, “Right now, there are more guns in Australia than there were during Port Arthur. We can’t allow that to continue,” referencing the 1996 mass shooting in Tasmania that left 35 people dead. He added, “Non-citizens have no need to own a gun. And someone in suburban Sydney has no need to own six. But that’s exactly what one of the terrorists from the weekend had access to.”

Sajid Akram, 50 — one of the two suspected shooters — met the eligibility requirements for a firearms license for recreational hunting, per the BBC. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said Akram held a “category AB licence that entitled him to have the long arms he had,” according to the outlet. Authorities said he legally possessed six guns, the ABC reported, citing the commissioner.

Albanese said in his post that the federal government is working with states and territories on stricter gun laws and that newly banned and illegal firearms would be bought back. “The deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach can never be allowed to happen again,” he wrote, adding, “Tougher gun laws aren’t the whole answer, but we will do everything it takes to keep Australians safe.”

Naveed Akram, 24 — identified by local media as Sajid Akram’s son — was named as the second suspect early in the investigation, according to reporting cited by the BBC. Police said in a news release on Wednesday that one gunman, a 50-year-old man, was shot by police and died at the scene, while the second gunman, his 24-year-old son, suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.

A police spokesperson confirmed in an email that Naveed Akram was later charged. Officials said a 24-year-old suspect faced 59 offenses, including committing a terrorist act, 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing wounding/grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.

Police also said two officers were shot during the exchange of gunfire. A separate post identified one of them as Jack Hibbert, 22, who sustained two gunshot wounds — one to the head and another to the shoulder — after only four months in the police force. Police said Hibbert survived but lost vision in one eye and faces a lengthy recovery, with additional surgeries required.

In an update on Wednesday, police said 20 patients were still receiving care across several Sydney hospitals. Authorities added that those who died were still being formally identified, though police believe the victims’ ages range from 10 to 87.

The same release confirmed that NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon APM had “declared the incident terror related.”