Over the weekend, tragedy struck Sydney, Australia, after reports emerged that a father-and-son pair carried out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach, targeting members of the Jewish community during a Hanukkah celebration. A Muslim Australian man managed to disarm one of the attackers, sustaining serious injuries in the process.
So far, a total of 16 people have been reported killed. The attack marks Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in 30 years, since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. Both Australian and international stars took to social media to pay tribute to the victims and offer their condolences to the bereaved.
Garbage
Legendary American rock band Garbage has publicly condemned the ongoing genocide in Palestine while also making it clear they do not support antisemitism or narratives that wrongly blame or attack the Jewish people, many of whom are against Israel’s war crimes. Prior to the shooting, the group had performed at the Sydney Opera House.
Upon learning of the attack, they reposted Australian doctor, Nada Abu Alrub’s IG post, paying tribute to the victims and urging against hatred towards Muslims, who have since been unfairly blamed in connection with the incident. The rock stars also shared news about Ahmed el Ahmed, the man who bravely disarmed one of the shooters.
Kylie Minogue
Australian icon Kylie Minogue took to her Instagram to write a simple message that her heart is with the Bondi Beach victims.
Troye Sivan
Being an Australian-Jewish person himself, it’s no surprise that pop singer Troye Sivan was affected by the horrific incident. “Thinking tonight of the victims and their families, the Bondi and wider Sydney communities, and for every Jewish person in this country. This is not who we are as Australians,” he wrote.
Ben Lee
Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee, who was raised Jewish in Sydney, also addressed the attack on Instagram, saying: “I can’t help thinking of the compounded tragedy of people being attacked during the vulnerable and tender moment of sharing a ritual like that, of lighting candles publicly. The senselessness of killing people at any time, but particularly in this case, in that vulnerable moment of reconnecting with myth and story and hope.”
The artist also reposted an Instagram Reel by content creator Lem Zakharia, in the hope that it will encourage people not to place blame on Arabs, Muslims or Palestinians for the attack.
Rose Byrne
Known for her iconic role in the Insidious franchise, actress Rose Byrne took to her Instagram page to speak about the incident, saying how horrified she was after hearing the news. “My heart goes out to the victims, their families & the Jewish community. Australia is one of the safest places in the world to practice any religion, and I am shocked, heartbroken & horrified by this unspeakable news,” she wrote.
Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC
