Bondi Beach terrorist attack live updates: Family of 10-year-old victim Matilda speak out

The family of 10-year-old Matilda, who was killed in Sunday’s horrific anti-Semitic terror attack, have spoken out at Bondi Beach.

“Just remember Matilda like a happy child,” her aunt Lina Chernykh said.

“She was just happy ... full of joy, happiness.”

Ms Chernykh said the Government needs to “think about more security for everyone”.

“Doesn’t matter what nationality, what country you’re from. We’re immigrants, you know, I can’t (say) like stop immigration,” she said.

“But just be more careful who you take in ... sharing values of peace and happiness.”

A furious Chris Minns has rushed to back the actions of police officers during Sunday’s horrific Bondi Beach terror attack.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the NSW Premier interrupted NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon as he responded to a grilling on the adequacy of the police response.

“There are two officers in critical care in New South Wales hospitals at the moment. They weren’t shot in the back as they were running away. They were shot in the front,” Mr Minns said.

“I’m sorry to be graphic about it but if there is any suggestion that New South Wales police didn’t live up to their responsibilities to the people of this state it should be rejected because it is not consistent with the facts.”

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New footage has emerged of a couple who appeared to try to stop one of the Bondi Beach gunmen before he got to the footbridge to launch the attack on a Jewish event at Archer Park.

Dashcam footage appears to show a man wrestle and disarm terrorist Sajid Akram, 50, by a silver sedan as a woman rushes towards them. His son Naveed, 24, can’t be seen in the vision.

According to reports by The Daily Telegraph and Sky News, outlets which first published the video, the car had an ISIS flag draped over the front wind screen.

It’s understood that the couple didn’t survive the encounter.

NSW Police couldn’t provide further details to The Nightly, saying their investigation was still underway and “not all victims have been formally identified”.

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Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has delivered a brutally blunt message to the PM: act now on antisemitism because Australians are dead.

“It is very emotional coming to Bondi. It has been a very hard few days coming here, seeing friends. I grew up around here,” Ms Ley said on Tuesday about the usually peaceful place.

“We have been calling on the government to respond to and implement the Segal report since it came down. With this report, we were told we had to wait until the Islamophobia report came down. Then we were told we had to wait for the Human Rights Commission report.

“There is white hot Anger in the Jewish community that this government hasn’t done enough. 15 people are dead, now is the time for action.

“What has been allowed to occur in this country over the last two and a half years is a delegitimisation of the place of Jewish Australians.

“I want to see them take action because people are dead, people are in hospital in a critical condition. Time for words is finished. The time for action is now.”

Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal says the “progression” of violence against Jewish Australians has been evident since October 7, 2023.

She highlighted previous incidents and rolling protests in the lead up to Sunday’s massacre of 15 people at a family Jewish event at Australia’s most iconic beach.

“We’ve learned that from history that words, hateful words, lead to hateful action,” she told Sky News on Tuesday.

“There is a progression. We had the rally on the forecourt of the Opera House, and then we’ve had lots of demonstrations and lots of hate. The march across… the Harbor Bridge. You can see the progression.

“I think antisemitism is a known hatred that we have not treated seriously enough as a country.

“Like other Western countries, we sort of believed that it was fine our multiculturalism would protect us, and it hasn’t.

“I am very keen to take this terrible tragedy and use it as an opportunity to say to everybody in the whole community of Australia, one consistent with the Prime Minister’s message, let’s come together.

“We have to rid our country of this scourge of this hatred. It’s an ancient hatred, and it’s been allowed to become normalised in lots of parts of our society, and we won’t have a successful, cohesive society unless we deal with it.”

Patients are spread across multiple Sydney hospitals as recovery efforts continue following the massacre at Bondi Beach.

NSW Health have provided an update of the conditions of those in hospital with five patients in a critical condition.

As of 12pm Tuesday there are twenty-four patients receiving care in eight Sydney hospitals for their injuries:

• St Vincent’s Hospital: Two people in a critical condition, two critical but stable, and one stable.

• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital: Three critical, one critical but stable, and two stable.

• Prince of Wales Hospital: Two stable patients.
• St George Hospital: One critical and two stable patients.
• Sydney Eye Hospital: One stable patient
• Sydney Children’s Hospital: Three stable patients.
• Royal North Shore hospital: One critical but stable and two stable.
• Liverpool Hopsital: Two people in a stable condition.

Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce were applauded when they arrived at Bondi on Tuesday.

Talking about how she would tackle extremists and those who engage in hate speech, Senator Hanson said she wants them rounded up.

“I would have them rounded up. I would. Rounded up, rounded up.

“You would be charged over your hate speech.”

Senator Hanson called out people who “celebrated” October 7, saying the Government should have done more.

“They should have been questioned over that.

“There’s a lot of things that can be done to change it.

Senator Hanson said she also believes changes need to be made to citizenship to protect Australians.

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson and new One Nation member Barnaby Joyce have gone to Bondi Beach to pay tribute to the victims killed on Sunday.

“People want change. People want to feel safe streets,” Senator Hanson said after speaking with mourners at the memorial outside Bondi Pavilion.

“(I) call on the Prime Minister to deal with these hate preachers that are out on our streets. (It) should not be allowed.”

Speaking about what leaders needed to show right now, Senator Hanson said: “Don’t be weak and don’t be pathetic.

“How do you deal with issues if you don’t know there is an issue there.

“It’s not about whether you’re going to get the Muslim vote in some of the communities to ensure that you’re in government. It is about doing the right thing right across the board. What’s fair and just right across the board for all Australians.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there is evidence that suggests Bondi’s terror attack could have been inspired by ISIS.

Asked about Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old shooter’s possible links to a jihadist preacher, the PM said the “evil ideology” must be called out.

“What we know already is, as part of the investigation, it goes to motive and what is being investigated, as the Commissioner has said,

“It would appear that there is evidence that this was inspired by a terrorist organisation, by ISIS.

“Some of the evidence which is being procured, including the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized, are part of that.

“ISIS has created an evil ideology that has been called out, not just by the Australian Government but globally.”