Heavily armed police have begun patrolling Sydney’s streets as part of tighter security measures introduced after last year’s deadly shooting at Bondi Beach.
The Armed Response Command will deploy specially trained officers to busy tourist districts, where they will carry long-arm rifles. For most residents, it is an unfamiliar sight.
New South Wales police outline the unit’s role
New South Wales police said the officers will also patrol major events, including sports matches, and places of worship. Their aim is to “prevent, deter and rapidly respond to serious threats, including active armed offender incidents.”
In a statement, the force said the unit is designed to be “highly visible across Sydney, driving specialist vehicles and carrying rifles.” Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said its work rests on a simple aim: protecting life. The operation will eventually include 250 officers.
The Bondi Beach shooting and its aftermath
Fifteen people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed in December when two gunmen opened fire on an event marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the popular beach. Authorities described it as Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost three decades, and it led to sweeping gun law changes and a crackdown on hate speech.
One of the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram, has been charged with 78 offences, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was also armed and fired on the crowd, and police killed him at the scene.
The shooting, which took place on 14 December, placed heavy pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government, which faced calls for immediate action on antisemitism.
Mixed reactions from residents and rights groups
One resident told a national broadcaster that the sight of armed officers was “unnerving”, adding: “They are just everywhere. Those guns are huge.” Another woman told the same broadcaster that seeing police with weapons made her feel safe.
Jewish communities have welcomed the new operation, though others have called for safeguards to protect human rights. Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said: “No Australian wants to see officers with military weapons on our streets, but the sight of body bags is far worse.”
Amnesty International Australia said it was concerned about the “militarisation of policing” and asked the state government for assurances that the unit would not be used to suppress peaceful protests. Its representative Andrew Witheford said any expansion of police powers must come with “clear, publicly accessible rules, robust independent oversight and accountability.”
The New South Wales government has defended the measures. Police Minister Yasmin Catley told a broadcaster that the country had changed forever after the attack, saying “we will never be the same again.”
