NSW Premier Defends Police Amid Bondi Shooting Criticism

Wed Dec 17 2025 00:44:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following a tragic shooting at Bondi Beach during a Jewish festival, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns stands by the actions of police officers, asserting they acted bravely in the face of danger.

In the wake of a deadly shooting that left 15 dead and numerous injured at a Jewish festival in Bondi Beach, NSW Premier Chris Minns has defended the police response against criticism. Minns highlighted that police acted with courage and integrity despite suggestions they were too slow to neutralize the threat posed by the gunmen. Questions regarding security preparations prior to the incident have arisen amidst ongoing investigations into antisemitic hate crimes in the area.

The New South Wales premier has rejected criticism of the police response to the attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, stating that officers acted with bravery and integrity. Witnesses had noted that police appeared slow to disarm the two gunmen, who killed 15 people and injured dozens at Australia’s iconic beach on Sunday.

There are two officers in critical care... at the moment, Chris Minns told reporters. They weren't shot in the back as they were running away. They were shot in the front. The shooting spree lasted approximately ten minutes before police intervened, resulting in the death of one gunman and critical injury of the other.

Questions about the adequacy of security measures before the shooting have also been raised. Witness Shmulik Scuri described the scene, saying the attackers shoot, shoot, change magazine and just shoot, while expressing that he felt the police froze during the attack.

In response, Minns denounced the quick judgments made about police operations as disrespectful, indicating that officers engaged directly with gunmen armed with long-range rifles whilst using handguns. He emphasized that any suggestion of police negligence is inconsistent with the actual circumstances.

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

Further inquiries also scrutinized the police presence at the event. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon remarked that police patrols are contingent on the threat levels assessed at the time, declining to share specifics about officer deployment numbers prior to the assault. The federal security agency indicated that one of the alleged gunmen had been flagged in 2019 but no violent intentions were noted.

Operation Shelter, initiated post the Hamas attack on Israel, was being conducted to investigate antisemitic incidents, focusing on high-risk areas like Bondi, which hosts a significant Jewish demographic. A subsequent task force, Strike Force Pearl, has been tasked with investigating hate crimes in Sydney.

Experts have weighed in on the situation, with Dr. Vincent Hurley, a former police officer, stating that expecting police to navigate all potential crisis scenarios is unrealistic. Factors such as chaotic scenes, multiple victim reports, and the risk of collateral damage complicate police reactions more than popular media portrayals suggest.