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A STRABANE man who has lived in Sydney for more than two decades has said the terrorist attack near Bondi Beach has “shattered the sense of safety” in Australia’s largest city.
John Paul Wallace this week remarked that communities across the country remain in mourning.
The attack, which took place on Sunday evening at a Hanukkah celebration close to the iconic beach, left at least 15 people dead and dozens more injured, sending shockwaves through Sydney and beyond.
Police have described the incident as an antisemitic terrorist act.
Naveed Akram, the surviving suspect of the shooting, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act. His father Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in an exchange of fire with police at the scene.
John Paul Wallace, who has lived in Sydney for the past 21 years and now resides there with his wife Susan and their two children, described the past week as very “unsettling”.
“All different communities have come together,” Mr Wallace told the Chronicle.
“While Sydney feels changed, there is a determination that this moment will not undo what makes this city so special.
“Bondi has always been a place where cultures mix, where newcomers are embraced, and where life is lived openly. That spirit shared by Irish and Australians alike is something many are determined to protect.”
Yet amid fear and grief, the Strabane man remarked that there have also been powerful displays of solidarity.
He added, “In the days since Sunday, people have gathered at vigils, checked in on one another, and spoken openly against hate and division. All the different communities have come together not only in mourning, but in solidarity with the wider city that welcomed us.
“Sydney feels changed, at least for now. The mood has shifted from carefree to cautious, from celebratory to reflective. But there is also a quiet determination that this moment will not undo what makes this city special.”
Naveed Akram also faces 40 charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, as well as one charge of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol.
He was critically injured during the incident on Sunday, and had his first hearing from his hospital bedside, according to the BBC.
The case has been adjourned until April 2026.
Some 20 people injured in the attack remain in hospitals across Sydney, with one person still in a critical condition.
