A terrorist attack at a Hanukkah gathering on Sydney's Bondi Beach killed 15 Jewish people, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger, prompting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to announce measures against antisemitism. The assailants, father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, were inspired by ISIS and targeted the Jewish community. The incident has heightened concerns about rising antisemitism, particularly among younger generations.
On December 14, 2025, during a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, gunmen Sajid Akram and his son Naveed opened fire on a gathering of Jewish Australians, killing 15 people, including Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and wounding dozens more. Sajid, who had moved to Australia from India in 1998, was killed by police during the attack. Naveed, born in Australia and previously flagged for suspected ISIS ties in 2019—though authorities found no ongoing threat at the time—has been charged with terrorism.
Australian authorities described the assault as an ISIS-inspired act targeting Jews, echoing broader fears of antisemitism. Just a year earlier, Rabbi Schlanger had shared a joyful video on social media, lighting a menorah on his car roof in Sydney and dancing to affirm Jewish visibility in public spaces. His murder underscores the risks now faced by minorities expressing their identity openly.
In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, leader of the Labor Party, announced on December 18, 2025, plans to combat hate speech and enhance visa oversight. The measures, originally proposed in July 2025 by Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal, include empowering the Department of Home Affairs to cancel visas for those spreading 'hate, division, and radicalization,' creating a new 'aggravated hate speech' charge for promoters of violence, and listing organizations engaging in racial hatred. 'Every Jewish Australian has the right to feel safe, valued and respected,' Albanese stated, acknowledging past criticism from the Jewish community over his government's slow response to rising threats since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. 'I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia.'
The attack has renewed calls for stricter gun laws, with Albanese unveiling a buyback program on December 19 and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns questioning the need for 'massive weapons' among non-farmers. Meanwhile, surveys highlight growing antisemitism among youth: A 2024 poll of nearly 130,000 Americans found 25% of those under 25 held an unfavorable view of Jews, a trend Isaac Saul, a Jewish newsletter writer, attributes to online influences from far-right figures. 'I think what people miss is just how ubiquitous it is,' Saul said, urging open dialogue to counter misconceptions about Jewish history and influence.
Albanese emphasized unity, noting the terrorists 'sought to turn Australians against each other.' Critics, however, worry the hate speech proposals could encroach on free speech. The incident raises questions about public safety for minorities, with Schlanger's story symbolizing the tension between visibility and vulnerability in pluralistic societies.
