People in Sydney have been urged to show “defiance” and celebrate New Year’s Eve in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Bondi Beach earlier this month.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales (NSW), where the coastal city is located, called on the public to “thumb your nose at the terrorists” and attend 31 December fireworks and other events, according to Sky News Australia.
He also said police will be deployed “in massive numbers” and some will be carrying weapons that residents have not seen before, in what is being reported as an unprecedented display of firepower by officers.
Fifteen people were killed and more than 40 others were injured in the 14 December shooting, which targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration.
‘Thumb your nose at the terrorists’
According to Sky News Australia, Mr Minns said: “We have to show defiance by going out and spending time with family and friends over the New Year period.
“Because of the weird ideology of some of these terrorists, what they want is for us to crawl up into a ball and not have fun with our family and friends.
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“I’m calling on the people of Sydney to step out, to do what you would ordinarily do, to thumb your nose at the terrorists.”
Mr Minns said police would be out “in massive numbers”, with officers carrying a level of firepower never before seen in the state, according to Sky News Australia.
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The gun reforms, which passed through the NSW state legislature on Christmas Eve, include limiting individual gun ownership to four and reclassifying high-risk weapons like pump-action firearms.
The legislation also tightens licensing by reducing permit terms to two years, restricting ownership to Australian citizens, and removing the review pathway for licence denials.
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Other new laws will ban the public display of terrorist symbols and grant police expanded powers to restrict public gatherings in specific areas following terrorist incidents.
Police said the Bondi Beach attack was allegedly carried out by father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, inspired by the militant group Islamic State.
Sajid Akram was killed by police during the shooting, while his 24-year-old son was taken to hospital and later moved to prison.
It was Australia’s worst massacre since 1996.
