Gardaí are to increase their presence at Jewish centres and events in Ireland after a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday resulted in at least 16 deaths, including a 10-year-old girl. One of the alleged gunmen was among the dead.
The shooting, described by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese as “an act of evil anti-Semitism”, has been declared a terrorist incident.
More than 1,000 people had gathered at Bondi Beach to celebrate the first day of the Jewish festival, according to police, when two individuals began firing into the crowd shortly after 6.45pm local time.
As the death toll rose on Sunday evening, it emerged at least a further 40 people, including two police officers and three children, were in various hospitals across Sydney with injuries.
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New South Wales health minister Ryan Park said the gunshot injuries suffered were “extensive” and “catastrophic”. Some of those injured are in critical condition.
Following the attack, An Garda Síochána said there would be “increased Garda patrols” at centres and events associated with the Irish Jewish community.
It said liaison inspectors have been appointed to ensure the force continues its ongoing engagement with the Jewish community “to provide them with reassurance and support”.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly met the Chief Rabbi of Ireland, Yoni Wieder, on Sunday to discuss the measures.
It comes as major cities, including Berlin, London and New York, plan to increase security around Hanukkah events following the attack.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said he spoke to the Garda Commissioner on Sunday evening “about ensuring there is adequate protection for the Jewish community in Ireland”.
“In fact, I spoke to him many months ago about ensuring that such protection was in place for the Jewish community. The commissioner has assured me and the Chief Rabbi of his commitment to the safety of the Jewish community,” he said.
He added he wished to reassure the Jewish community “of our support in the aftermath of the appalling terrorist attack in Sydney”.
Speaking to The Irish Times on the planned increased Garda presence, Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, said major attacks internationally “are almost always unforewarned”.
“For this reason we have repeatedly called on the Government to meet its obligations and work with us to define a clear national strategy for combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life,” he said, which would include increased security for Jewish places of worship, schools and community gatherings.
“No community should have to live in fear that ordinary places of life and leisure can become scenes of terror,” he said.
He added violence and terror of this nature “does not arise in a vacuum” and called on leaders to “examine their words and their actions”.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said her department was “not aware” of any Irish citizens directly affected by the “appalling anti-Semitic attack”, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin described it as an “evil act”.
He added it was a “further manifestation of the murderous hate spawned by anti-Semitism”.
Video footage shows scores of people running away from the beach, while one eyewitness described “lots of bodies on the floor”, saying the event was “full of grandparents and grandchildren”.
“It was pretty terrifying,” he said.
A man believed to be one of the gunmen is in police custody in a “critical condition” while another alleged gunman had died, police said.
A bomb-disposal unit also responded after “improvised explosive devices” were found in a car linked to one of the gunmen.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, claimed the Australian government “did nothing to stop the spread of anti-Semitism”.
“You let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attack on Jews we saw today,” he said.
