PSNI to increase patrols near Jewish communities after Bondi Beach shooting

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said it will increase patrols in locations representing Jewish communities following a fatal shooting in Sydney, Australia.

Two gunmen, named in local media as father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, killed 15 people at Bondi Beach on Sunday. A further 42 people are in hospital, with some critically injured.

The killings, which Australian police have declared a terror attack, targeted Jewish people attending a Hanukkah event, with the victims including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor.

Supt Yvonne McManus said there were public safety plans in place to support the Jewish community in Northern Ireland after the “unfathomable tragedy”.

“We acknowledge the understandable concerns of Jewish communities in Northern Ireland,” she said.

“We want to show our support and as such, our focus is on providing proportionate reassurance that supports these communities.”

This includes providing a “visible and reassuring policing presence” in some areas, and increasing passing patrols at at a number of locations.

Police have also been in contact with Jewish community members to provide “reassurance, as well as discussing what more can be done to help communities feel safe through proactive engagement”.

Figures from the 2021 Northern Ireland Census showed there were approximately 439 people who identified as Jewish.

Speaking to BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster programme on Monday, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the “evil” attack was designed to create fear for Jewish communities around the world.

The Democratic Unionist Party assembly member said Northern Ireland stood with its Jewish community at this time, and that the increased police patrols were welcomed.

“I will be working and doing everything that I can to work alongside the PSNI, with my colleagues in the executive to do everything we can to ensure people can remain safe,” she added.

“I know the Jewish community will feel very apprehensive given this terrible evil.”

Little-Pengelly said that anti-semitism existed not just within Northern Ireland but across the rest of the UK and Ireland.

“It’s something that has to be absolutely stamped out, we need very, very strong leadership on this from right across,” she said.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the deadly attack was “heartbreaking” and offered her “thoughts, support and solidarity” to those affected, including the Jewish community.

“Sydney holds a very special place in the hearts of many here in Ireland, and we stand with them at this devastating time,” she added.

Gardaí (Irish police) have also confirmed there will be increased patrols at centres and events for the Irish Jewish community in the Republic of Ireland following Sunday’s attack.

It also said liaison inspectors had been appointed to help provide assisantance and support following the shootings.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ said the Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan spoke to the Garda commissioner Justin Kelly about ensuring there was adequate protection in place.

Daniel Epstein O’Dowd, from the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, said the scale of the “evil and destruction” of the attack would only become clearer in the coming days, but attacks on the Jewish community were becoming an “all too familiar pattern”.

He said many targeted and coordinated attacks on Jewish people had led to some communities co-ordinating private security so they could pray safely.

“There’s been a huge amount of unchecked bigotry and anti-Semitism that has gone on for the past two or three years which has radicalised a lot of people and incited a lot of hatred and ultimately that is what is the trigger for events like yesterday,” Mr Epstein O’Dowd added.

Sunday’s attack was carried out by 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who died at the scene, and his son Naveed, 24, who is in a critical condition in hospital.

The men had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, with flags associated to the group believed to be found in their cars.

Irish President Catherine Connolly described it as an “appalling and anti-Semitic attack”.

“Such violence is to be utterly condemned and has no place for all of us who are committed to peace in our world.”

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said the attack was shocking and “such hate and violence can never be tolerated”.

Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris said he was “horrified”, and his thoughts were with “all those impacted and their families, with the people of Australia and the Jewish communtiy during this time of profound pain”.