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Four Corners - Season 66 - Episode 01: Bondi: Light Over Darkness (Part 1)
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00:00This program includes graphic and distressing vision of the Bondi terrorism attack.
00:06It also includes coarse language.
00:31It's the worst terror attack in this country's history, a horror that has left Australians
00:40grappling for answers.
00:43Two men armed with weapons and seething with hatred, targeting Jewish Australians.
00:53You could hear it.
00:54You could hear the projectile, and he was just, shoot, reload, shoot, reload.
01:05He's still on the bridge, bro.
01:06Four Corners has pieced together a definitive account of the terror in the words of those
01:12who experienced it and those who lost loved ones.
01:16People were being shot.
01:18People were dying.
01:19If you got up, you would be dead.
01:21I was screaming to her, like, Matilda, Matilda, and she was still conscious, like, and she
01:28was, she could just, just told me that she was hard to breathe.
01:34This isn't about surviving now.
01:37It's about how I'm going to die and how's Shemi going to die.
01:42Amid the horror, those who ran into the gunfire and heroes who protected their loved ones.
01:50He died protecting my mum, being a proud show, lighting the light.
01:59Families of the victims and the friends just need to know that there was people tirelessly
02:04working to save their lives.
02:09How are you bearing up?
02:10Not great.
02:13It's terrific.
02:18On Four Corners, a two-part special series on the massacre that shocked this country.
02:23Next week, the secret lives of the gunmen and the intelligence failures in the lead up to
02:28the attack.
02:28In this episode, we speak to survivors of the slaughter and the families of the victims,
02:34and we explore how Australia is dealing with the scars from that December day.
02:40Had there been more decisive, firm action at the beginning, true leadership, that this
02:45wouldn't have happened.
02:47I want her to be remembered like a light that will overcome darkness.
03:19The sun is starting to dip on another stunning summer's day.
03:23At Australia's most famous beach.
03:33While crowds soak up Bondi's surf and sand, behind the beach at Archer Park, a community
03:40is gathering for the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.
03:45It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, a belief in miracles, a belief that even if
03:53you're small, even if you're the underdog, eventually goodness prevails.
04:10For me, this event was always something to, like, where we go with kids.
04:15They love it, you know.
04:19Since Matilda was born, we went there every year.
04:24Ten-year-old Matilda is the daughter of two Ukrainian Jews, Michael and Valentina, who
04:30came to Australia for a better life.
04:32And when she was born, they named her in honor of this country.
04:38We were thinking of the name and Matilda came to me.
04:44Matilda, it's such an Australian name.
04:48It has, you know, the wealthy Matilda, Matildas.
04:51For me, it was always associated with Australia.
04:55I thought it'd be a great name.
04:59This is the 31st year the lighting of the Hanukkah candles has been held at Archer Park.
05:06Also enjoying the food and festivities is Israeli tourist Kobi Farkash.
05:11Just to feel the Hanukkah.
05:14The Hanukkah celebration has a special emphasis on family.
05:19It was lovely.
05:21We walked in.
05:22It's just a whole bunch of kids, mostly young and old.
05:27So, little, little, little babies.
05:29Real family event.
05:30There was big bubbles blowing.
05:33Donuts.
05:34Hot dogs.
05:36Petting zoo for the kids.
05:38Giant Connect Four.
05:39Take some video of me for a minute and then I'll take...
05:42Among the crowd is event organizer and community leader Rabbi Ellie Schlanger.
05:50Also enjoying the celebrations are Holocaust survivor Alex Kleitman and his wife Larissa.
05:57Hanukkah is one of the beautiful and ancient celebrations of the Jewish culture.
06:04It's just a beautiful tradition to be surrounded by Jewish people or any people
06:12and to celebrate light against darkness.
06:19For annual attendees Reuven and Leah Morrison, Bondi is a special place.
06:26My parents met on Bondi Beach as two Russian teenage refugees.
06:31My mum was 16 and my dad was 17.
06:37For Bondi local Jessica Chapnick Khan, this Hanukkah gathering is something her five-year-old
06:43daughter Shemi refuses to miss.
06:46She dragged me out of heat, dragging me by the arm.
06:49I want to go to the Hanukkah party.
06:51I want to see the Hanukkah party.
06:55We were meant to be there.
06:59For 10-year-old Matilda, one of the highlights is getting her face painted.
07:03She wanted a dolphin and she was so happy.
07:08When they finished, she asked me to take a photo and she asked me to take a photo from
07:13one side and then from another side.
07:16Like, you know, it was so cute and she was really happy.
07:24Documenting the Hanukkah festivities for the Jewish community is police officer turned photographer
07:28Peter Marr.
07:31What do you say as he's heading out the door that day?
07:35I said to him, knowing that a lot of people I knew would be there, give them my love.
07:52But as the Jewish community celebrates by the beach, a darkness is about to descend.
07:59Two men, a father and son, are pulling up on Campbell Parade just metres down the road.
08:0650-year-old Sajid Akram and his son Naveed have driven from their Airbnb in southwestern Sydney
08:12with two shotguns, a rifle, improvised explosive devices and two Islamic State flags.
08:2124-year-old Naveed Akram walks onto the footbridge overlooking Archer Park and opens fire.
08:32The last thing I remember looking at were the bubbles.
08:36It was so beautiful, these bubbles.
08:39It was rainbows, just huge bubbles.
08:42You know, those really big ones, they're really impressive.
08:44And the rainbows were just filling the space.
08:49And I said, show me, look, bubbles.
08:51And that's when I heard the first shot.
08:56My husband had my daughter.
08:57I was in a conversation with friends.
09:00I knew that my son was with his other grandma.
09:03And I went to go look for them.
09:06I heard a couple of very, very loud bangs.
09:11I'm not familiar with the sound of gunfire.
09:13I've never heard it before in my life.
09:18For Israeli tourist Kobi Farkash, who is filming as he flees, it's a narrow escape.
09:25His footage captures 27-year-old French engineer Dan Elkayam also running away right next to him.
09:35What happened to him?
09:37He's shot, he's killed, he's died because of the terror.
09:52Another who's hit in the opening barrage is Yangi Supa, a medical volunteer on duty at the Hanukkah event.
09:59All of a sudden I felt a zap in my body and I just fell to the ground like in
10:04slow motion.
10:05I fell and then everyone starts screaming as people start running.
10:09I think quite quickly I was shot, but at first I was like, what's just happened to me?
10:14And then, yeah, 15 seconds, the gunshots, everyone running.
10:24With Naveed Akram positioned on the footbridge, his father Sajid is being confronted back near their car.
10:32Dash cam footage captures a moment of heroism as 69-year-old Boris Gurman wrestles the gun from Sajid Akram.
10:40Both Boris and his wife Sophia are then shot dead.
10:48Men, women and children run for their lives.
10:52But for many of those celebrating Hanukkah in Archer Park, there's nowhere to run to.
10:57They are pinned down and trapped.
10:59Where's the fucking police, you fucking bastards?
11:05People at the park only remember seeing two police officers on duty.
11:11I thought that it's going to be over in a second.
11:13I thought there will be police or something.
11:17You know, like, OK, this happened.
11:20In my mind, it's going to end in any moment now.
11:27But the shooting just kept happening.
11:31Jessica Rosen is separated from her husband and two children.
11:39Then I saw someone in front of me fall and they were bleeding.
11:45And I understood it was no longer OK for me to be running around.
11:48It was no longer safe.
11:50Caught the sight of a little girl.
11:53She was screaming for her parents.
11:56Didn't have my own kids with me.
11:59But I took maybe five steps towards her.
12:04I grabbed her, ran back to the chairs and lay down behind the chairs.
12:09Covered the little girl with my body and stayed there while the shooting went on.
12:20Jessica Chapnick Khan wants to run to the beach, but it's too far.
12:25So she takes shelter with her daughter, Shemi, behind a low concrete barrier.
12:32My instinct was to cover every inch of her body with my body.
12:38I don't know how I covered her.
12:41And there were other children under my legs and parents screaming.
12:46Children were just losing it and popping their heads up.
12:52And that Shemi lay still flat.
12:57She didn't say a word. She didn't move.
13:03And I did my best to contain the children that were there just with my legs.
13:09The Akrams are on the footbridge as a police car shrieks by.
13:16Sajid Akram then descends the footbridge stairs towards those cowering in Archer Park.
13:26I am pinned down behind several rows of chairs.
13:34I am lying on top of this little girl.
13:38There are two shooters.
13:40One on the footbridge, one pacing around in front of the fencing.
13:46It seemed casually. It seemed like he was smiling.
13:51People were being shot. People were dying.
13:54If you got up, you would be dead.
14:00As Sajid Akram prowls and fires from just metres away,
14:04Jessica Rosen tries to calm the little girl.
14:07I got you. I got you.
14:10I got you. I got you.
14:12I got you. I got you.
14:14I knew that I needed to be calm for myself.
14:17And I knew that I needed to be calm for her.
14:20She asked me what's happening.
14:23She asked me who I was.
14:27She asked me where her mummy and daddy was quite a lot of times.
14:29She said she wanted her mummy, she wanted her daddy.
14:32I told her I understood that and that we were just going to stay here for a little while.
14:37We're going to stay here and we're going to be nice and stay.
14:41No one's going to hurt us.
14:43Can you hide?
14:45Yeah, we can hide.
14:46They can hide, but for some it's no protection from the bullets.
14:50Oh, that guy's got shot. Oh, oh my God.
14:55A woman lying a metre and a half away from me.
14:59She was shot in the head.
15:03I saw her.
15:05Her body must have turned with the impact.
15:08She was not a woman anymore.
15:11She was a body.
15:13Could have been me.
15:15We couldn't move.
15:16We needed to stay where we were.
15:19I tried to...
15:21I was lying on top of the little girl trying to shield her fuse.
15:24I really hoped she didn't see.
15:26Get down!
15:28Get on the ground!
15:30Another parent at the Hanukkah event is Leon,
15:33who threw himself on his youngest daughter when the shooting started.
15:38I had a few of the bullets, particularly from...
15:42The gunman up on the bridge fly just past my head.
15:49You could hear it.
15:51You could hear the projectile.
15:53Also, the other gunman, the older gunman,
15:56he was just...
16:00Shoot.
16:02Reload.
16:03Shoot. Reload.
16:07Wounded and on the ground,
16:08medical volunteer Yankee Super is in serious trouble.
16:14The bullet went in my back and missed my spine by about two centimetres.
16:19But the shrapnel collapsed my right lung.
16:24Straight away blood started pouring out of my nose and mouth.
16:29And it became difficult to breathe and very difficult to talk as well.
16:32At that point I grabbed my radio.
16:35I see the breath.
16:36All right, time four, where are you bleeding from?
16:38Where are you bleeding from?
16:40Distressed and breathless, Yankee makes an emergency call.
16:4423, you need to calm down and try to stop the bleeding.
16:47I can't breathe.
16:48I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
17:01Do you believe it's excuse you?
17:03has qualified all the way to self Would I do it? Oh my
17:03god. Oh my
17:05god. They're
17:07body parts. Before that
17:10I'd been like praying and kind of... Wanting
17:14to survive and when that spray came over I realised,
17:18oh, this isn't about surviving now.
17:22It's about how I'm going to die
17:24and how's Shemmy going to die.
17:28Are they gunshots?
17:30Yeah.
17:30Where is he?
17:32I wouldn't go up to be careful.
17:34From his home over the road from Archer Park,
17:37freelance cameraman Nick Castellaro
17:39hears the rapid pops of gunshots.
17:45And I got up and I was coming down
17:48and people were coming in and...
17:49So people from over the road were taking shelter here?
17:52Obviously taking shelter.
17:54But I got here and I looked across the road
17:57and I saw the Jewish festival
17:59and I knew what was going on.
18:03For this veteran who has worked around the world,
18:06there is just one thing to do.
18:08The only decision I had to make was what camera do I take?
18:11I knew this was a major event.
18:16Inching towards the source of the gunfire,
18:19Nick Castellaro will capture the chaos, carnage and cruelty
18:23of Sajid and Naveed Akram's terror attack
18:25from just metres away.
18:31Among those under fire in the park
18:33are Alex and Larissa Kleitman.
18:37Amid the barrage of bullets,
18:39Alex moves to cover his wife of 57 years with his body.
18:46He always described mum to be the love of his life
18:50and his whole life
18:52and that he would do everything to protect her
18:55and I think this is what he was doing,
18:59making sure that he close to her, near her,
19:02provides this shield to protect her.
19:06What are you doing?
19:16Fuck!
19:17Shit!
19:21Bondi lifeguard coordinator Daniel McLaughlin swings into action.
19:28I just grabbed a couple of medikits.
19:30I don't know what I grabbed, but I just grabbed anything
19:32and we ran over into where the people were injured.
19:38McLaughlin and his team are well trained in treating trauma wounds,
19:42not running into gunfire.
19:45Were you worried that you're running into a live fire situation?
19:49A hundred percent.
19:50I could hear the shots going off while our lifeguards are in there
19:53and we were running into it, hearing it.
19:56You know, the police were telling Mouse to duck down and take cover.
20:01And there was a lot of screaming.
20:02It was mayhem.
20:06Amid the mayhem, as Jessica Rosen lies on the ground
20:09shielding an unknown child from the gunfire,
20:11she hears from her husband.
20:14My husband sent me a text to say that he was safe,
20:17that he had my daughter.
20:20This is why the bullets are being fired?
20:22Bullets are still firing.
20:23We both understood that it would not be wise to call.
20:28I texted him back saying that I have a little girl and she's not mine.
20:33Someone has been shot at that point.
20:36I was actually physically dripping blood onto my phone.
20:38And I took a photo, a selfie of myself, to see where I was injured, if I was injured.
20:49Michael and Valentina are separated from Matilda and their other daughter, six-year-old Summer.
20:54They are desperate to find them.
20:57And then I saw Matilda, she actually ran to where we were sitting because she got scared.
21:05And then I was screaming to her, like, Matilda, Matilda.
21:09And I started to crawl around, around those chairs to where she was.
21:15And that's when, like, when I realized that she was hurt.
21:22I took my shirt off.
21:23I was trying to, you know, cover the wound and I was trying to pull her out.
21:28We were just trying to calm her down, trying to tell her, please, just wait, wait, wait.
21:35Hopefully, you know, the help will be coming soon.
21:41And, yeah, she was, she was still, she was still conscious, like, and she was, she could just,
21:52she just told me that she was hard to breathe.
21:58Alone on the footbridge, Naveed Akram briefly ceases firing,
22:02then turns and appears to shoo away people, not from the Hanukkah event.
22:10He then resumes firing into Archer Park at those trying to take cover.
22:18These people came not only to slaughter Jews, obviously, that's self-evident,
22:23but in the act, they acted coolly, with composure, methodically,
22:28to destroy as many lives as they possibly could.
22:31It's just unbelievable.
22:34As everyone takes shelter, 62-year-old Reuven Morrison decides to take action.
22:41Reuven is a family friend of ours.
22:43He walked through the middle of active gunfire.
22:45I didn't understand what he was doing at the time.
22:48I yelled at him to get down, but he was just walking into danger.
22:54Through all the gunfire, my father gets up.
22:57He saw no one was doing anything, so he got up himself to protect.
23:01He's running through the crowd, and he's re-diverting the terrorists.
23:07Creeping closer to the footbridge, freelance cameraman Nick Castellaro
23:11films the chaos and carnage in the park,
23:14before panning his camera to capture an act of great courage.
23:22Tackling Sajid Akram, Sutherland tobacconist, Ahmed Al-Akhmed,
23:26manages to disarm him.
23:29Yeah, somebody got it. Somebody got it.
23:32The tackle, he came flying into the frame,
23:35and then the guy takes the gun off him,
23:38and he's standing in front of him.
23:40The terrorist, for want of a better word, falls out of shot,
23:42and I thought he'd shot him,
23:44because the sound, there was the sound of another gun.
23:46But as it happened, he hadn't shot him.
23:48He hadn't. He hadn't.
23:51The shooting Nick Castellaro hears is actually from the footbridge.
23:55With his father disarmed,
23:57Naveed Akram begins firing at Ahmed Al-Akhmed
23:59and Israeli Geffen Bitton.
24:02Both men end up seriously wounded.
24:10As Akram retreats back towards the footbridge
24:13to rejoin his son,
24:15Reuven Morrison charges at him.
24:22At one point, he gets hold of a brick,
24:25and you can see the footage of him throwing that directly
24:28at the terrorist, which threw him off in that moment.
24:30He saved lives, he saved moments,
24:33he gave people time to flee,
24:35time to hide,
24:36and to be able to leave with their lives.
24:40Having thrown something at Sajid Akram,
24:43Reuven Morrison is then shot
24:45and critically wounded.
24:51How proud are you of your father?
24:52It's just so him.
24:55It epitomises how he lived his life.
24:58He did incredibly brave,
25:02incredibly heroic,
25:04incredibly selfless thing,
25:05because that's the sort of person that he was.
25:09He walked in to...
25:11He put himself in danger to try and save others,
25:14and he did.
25:15You think he saved lives?
25:17I do.
25:21For Jessica Chapnick-Khan,
25:23a survival instinct has kicked in.
25:27I thought, this is our moment.
25:29I'm not letting her die in this.
25:32This isn't how she dies.
25:35This isn't how we die,
25:37in horror,
25:38in wailing,
25:40in gunshots,
25:41in splashing body parts,
25:43and I whispered...
25:45Well,
25:46I don't think it was a whisper,
25:47but it was a...
25:48Right in her ear.
25:50I said,
25:50Shemi,
25:52go inside yourself.
25:56Go to your heart
25:57where all the love is
25:58and stay there.
25:59Stay there, my baby.
26:00Stay
26:01there.
26:04And I felt her instantly just melt into me.
26:07Like, she heard me.
26:08She heard me.
26:08I knew she'd heard me.
26:11By now,
26:12Nick Castellaro has joined police officers
26:15who've arrived on the scene.
26:17Suddenly,
26:18Naveed Akram swings his weapon in Nick's direction.
26:24He then seems to gesture for the cameraman
26:26to go away.
26:29So, where were you, Nick?
26:31I reckon it's about here.
26:32Because I could see this cat's eyes, mate.
26:34It was,
26:35you know,
26:36it was,
26:36it was that close.
26:38And I,
26:38because I was moving around a bit,
26:40I know that annoyed him.
26:41Because he's,
26:41he's actually gone to me,
26:42fuck,
26:42fuck off.
26:43And then had a shot.
26:47He's on the bridge, mate.
26:48He's on the bridge.
26:50Girls,
26:50he's shooting.
26:51If I can take a shot,
26:52you get a look at him.
26:53Get down.
26:53Get out of his face.
26:56In the chaos,
26:57Nick Castellaro tries to help the police
26:59track the gunman's movements.
27:01They were pinned.
27:02They didn't have line of sight to this guy.
27:06His face,
27:07he's got his back to you, bro.
27:08He's on the bridge.
27:09So,
27:10I was doing my best to just say,
27:11like,
27:11he's coming our way,
27:12or,
27:12you know,
27:13he's,
27:13he's got his back to you,
27:14or,
27:15you know.
27:15He's still on the bridge.
27:16He's still on the bridge.
27:18With Sajid Akram re-armed
27:20and rejoining his son
27:21on the footbridge,
27:22police are closing in
27:24and firing back,
27:26causing the gunman
27:28to begin taking cover.
27:30One of the officers
27:31is Detective
27:32Cesar Barraza.
27:35Suddenly,
27:35the older Akram falls,
27:38most likely shot by Barraza.
27:41The younger Akram
27:43swings round
27:44and begins firing
27:45in the detective's direction.
27:48Intent on the murder of innocence
27:50for Naveed Akram,
27:52there will be no surrender.
27:56Fucking die, cunt!
27:57Die!
28:00Just over a minute
28:02after his father,
28:03Naveed Akram,
28:04is also brought down
28:06by police fire.
28:10Fuck yeah!
28:14Yeah, they got him.
28:19He's down, he's down!
28:24At ground level,
28:25Nick Castellaro
28:26captures the moment
28:27police move on
28:28to the footbridge
28:29and the chaos that follows.
28:37One bystander
28:38is, for a moment,
28:39suspected of being
28:40part of the shooting.
28:42Another man
28:43swings a kick at him.
28:44Get down now!
28:45Get the fuck out of here!
28:46And it kind of went
28:46from one explosive
28:47situation to another
28:49and it was really
28:52just crazy, man.
28:54Just crazy.
28:56On the ground!
28:58On the ground!
28:59Police handcuff Naveed Akram,
29:01who's wounded but alive.
29:03Fucking bash him!
29:04Fuck!
29:05His father is dead.
29:13From the footbridge,
29:14Nick Castellaro moves back
29:16to Archer Park
29:17and a scene of horror.
29:18It was harder to run.
29:25It was harder going to the park
29:26than the shootout.
29:28Pretty confronting.
29:29It was, mate.
29:30It was.
29:32When your best option
29:34is to lie on top of someone
29:35and use yourself
29:36as a body bag.
29:38Yeah,
29:39it's not a good situation,
29:40is it?
29:45One of those who used
29:46herself as a human shield,
29:48in her case to protect
29:49a small child she didn't
29:51even know,
29:52is Jessica Rosen.
29:54I didn't move
29:55until the girl's dad came.
29:57He was crouched.
29:59He said,
29:59you've got my little girl.
30:01And then she said,
30:02Daddy.
30:03I was very, very happy
30:04and relieved
30:05to give it to her daddy.
30:08That was the first
30:09sort of sign
30:10that maybe things were okay.
30:11Stay now!
30:12Stay now!
30:13Stay now!
30:14Get the fuck down!
30:16Are you okay?
30:18Where have you been?
30:19Multiple people entered.
30:21I need assistance now.
30:23Among the wounded
30:24getting treatment
30:25is medical volunteer
30:26Yankee Super.
30:27Yankee, where have you been here?
30:29Okay, be quiet.
30:30Okay.
30:32Having sheltered
30:33behind a low barrier
30:34for what seemed
30:35like an eternity,
30:37Jessica Chapnick Khan
30:38now has another horror
30:39to confront
30:40with her daughter.
30:41And we got up
30:43and I said to Shemi,
30:44Shemi, close your eyes,
30:46do not look around.
30:46She said, why?
30:48And I said,
30:49because we're walking forward.
30:52Mum and Shemi
30:52are walking forward
30:53and we're leaving
30:54and we don't need
30:55to see anything else.
30:57And I got up
30:58and she did exactly
31:01what I told her.
31:02She put her head right here
31:03and I looked around
31:06and I couldn't
31:09believe what I saw,
31:10that what I was feeling
31:11was a reality,
31:13that this was a reality,
31:15that this entire
31:18bloodbath was a reality.
31:21And we walked over the bodies
31:25and I walked straight
31:26just forward
31:28and there was a policeman there
31:29and I said,
31:31what do I do?
31:32And he said, run home.
31:36Among the first responders
31:38treating the wounded
31:39are Bondi lifeguards,
31:41including veteran
31:41Daniel McLaughlin
31:43and his team members,
31:44Michael and Mario.
31:46There's another one.
31:46They're up four.
31:47They're up four.
31:49First thing I see
31:50is Michael
31:51just attending
31:52to young officers
31:54being shot
31:54in the face,
31:55stomach.
31:57Horrific.
31:58Horrific injuries
31:59on people.
32:03Some of the little things
32:04will stick with you
32:05and one of them
32:05for me
32:06was having to remove
32:07the defib off
32:08for a patient
32:08that was deceased
32:09in front of their family
32:10to put on another person
32:12and taking that off
32:13was,
32:13I knew in that moment
32:15that was,
32:15that was a hard thing
32:16for me to do
32:17and they just wanted help
32:19but I had to take that off
32:20to put on someone else
32:21to try and save them.
32:22Let's go on, brother.
32:24You come.
32:27Volunteer lifesavers
32:28have tried desperately
32:29to save Shana Gutnick's father,
32:31Reuven Morrison,
32:32who confronted
32:33the older gunman.
32:35Reuven has multiple
32:36gunshot wounds.
32:38Thank God
32:39the Sydney lifeguards
32:41had run in
32:42incredible heroes
32:43putting their own lives
32:44at risk to help others.
32:45They were doing CPR,
32:48giving him precious
32:49moments of life.
32:50Through this time
32:51he's still responding,
32:52he's responding his name.
32:54Another who showed
32:55great courage
32:56is Alex Kleitman,
32:58who moved to shield
32:59his wife Larissa
33:00from the gunfire.
33:02Alerted to the carnage
33:03at Bondi,
33:04their daughter Sabina
33:05rings her mother.
33:07She says,
33:08you no longer have a father.
33:10He's just been shot.
33:12He was dead
33:14almost immediately.
33:15My mum sucked in blood,
33:17standing next to him.
33:20I was screaming
33:22for so long
33:24I had to put water
33:25on my face
33:26to stop screaming.
33:30Also among those killed
33:31is event co-organiser
33:33and respected
33:34Jewish community leader,
33:35Rabbi Eli Schlanger.
33:37It's a void
33:38that can never be filled.
33:41That's
33:45what he did
33:46for the community
33:49a hundred people
33:50couldn't do.
33:53And the youngest victim,
33:55ten-year-old Matilda.
33:58She had such a kind heart
34:01and she was
34:02always,
34:02you know,
34:03giving
34:03and always,
34:08yeah,
34:09always,
34:09always,
34:10always happy.
34:11She was always happy.
34:13Just remember her
34:15as
34:17smiling,
34:17happy,
34:18ten-year-old
34:19Aussie girl.
34:21The New South Wales
34:22ambulance
34:22have been coming
34:23and going
34:24as they triage
34:25and get the people
34:26the care
34:27that they need.
34:28Virginia Wynne-Markham
34:29has seen the news
34:30on TV
34:30and has been
34:31desperately trying
34:32to contact her husband,
34:34event photographer
34:34Peter Marr,
34:35for hours.
34:37After two phone calls
34:39with police,
34:39I got a call
34:40at 1.04 in the morning
34:41on Monday
34:42and it was from
34:44the community liaison officer
34:45and she said,
34:47is that Virginia?
34:48And I said,
34:49yes.
34:49And she said,
34:50are you at home?
34:50I said,
34:51yes.
34:51She said,
34:52I'm on my way.
34:53So the liaison officer
34:54comes here
34:55and it's the worst news
34:57you could ever...
34:58Yeah.
34:59She said,
34:59well,
34:59I can confirm
35:01that Peter was shot
35:04and she gestured
35:05to this region
35:07and she said
35:08that he passed on scene.
35:10That,
35:12I think,
35:12words to the effect
35:13of when
35:14first responders
35:15reached him,
35:16they knew
35:17there was nothing
35:17they could do.
35:24For the lifeguards
35:25who rushed up
35:26from the beach
35:27to be among
35:27the first to help,
35:28the scene in Archer Park
35:30still haunts them.
35:35I just want
35:36to really acknowledge
35:37that the families
35:39of the victims
35:40and the friends
35:41just need to know
35:42that there was people
35:43tirelessly working
35:45to save their lives.
35:49How are you bearing up?
35:51Not great.
35:52It's
35:53terrific.
35:55Like,
35:55just,
35:56you try and do your best
35:57to
35:58be a leader of people
35:59in a horrific time.
36:15The worst terror attack
36:17in Australian history
36:18has left 15 innocent people
36:21dead
36:21and 40 injured.
36:24This planned
36:26and deliberate horror
36:27has shattered lives
36:28and left a community
36:30struggling with grief.
36:37What has always
36:38been a paradise
36:39and a place
36:40of enjoyment
36:41is now a crime scene
36:43and a site
36:45of national mourning.
36:50Bondi is a place
36:51where everyone
36:52is welcome.
36:53This violates,
36:54I think,
36:54the very heart
36:55of Bondi.
36:56The Jewish community,
36:57I cannot speak
36:57for how devastated
36:58they are.
36:59The grief,
37:01the fear,
37:01the anger,
37:02it is so deep
37:04right now.
37:04People are saying,
37:05you know,
37:06am I welcome
37:06here at all?
37:07You know,
37:08I met someone today,
37:09eighth generation Australian,
37:10saying,
37:11I don't know,
37:12I can stay here anymore.
37:13This is,
37:13this is the level of,
37:14I think,
37:15the trauma
37:15that people are feeling.
37:28The Hanukkah by the Sea
37:30event was organised
37:31by Chabad Bondi
37:33and 24 hours
37:34after the slaughter
37:35the community
37:36gathers
37:36at the organisation
37:37synagogue
37:38to pray
37:39and to grieve.
37:41But there is also
37:43a pointed message
37:43to be delivered.
37:45A warning
37:46what happens
37:47when you let
37:48anti-Semitism
37:49fester
37:51and in the face
37:52of such tragedy
37:53and in their honour
37:55and merit,
37:56we, the community,
37:57refuse to be diminished.
37:59We commit ourselves
38:01to honouring their memory
38:03not only with words
38:05but with action.
38:14community leaders
38:16say levels of anti-Semitism
38:17have soared
38:18in the past few years.
38:21Alex Rivchen
38:22from the Executive Council
38:23of Australian Jury
38:24has felt it first hand
38:26with his former home
38:27vandalised
38:28and nearby cars
38:29torched.
38:31And that's why
38:32for two years
38:33we've been raising the alarm
38:34because we know
38:35where things go.
38:36We see the fixation
38:38that people exhibit.
38:39We see the incitement
38:40and it always ends this way.
38:43It's always ended this way.
38:49Following the October 7 bloodbath
38:51by Hamas
38:51that left
38:521,200 Israelis dead
38:54and the subsequent
38:55Gaza war
38:56in which Israel
38:57killed tens of thousands
38:58of Palestinians
38:59mostly civilians
39:01members of the Jewish community
39:03say anti-Semitism
39:04in Australia
39:05reached unprecedented levels.
39:09Post October 7
39:11it became more real
39:12it became more possible
39:13there was more visible
39:15anti-Semitism
39:17anti-Semitism
39:18coming from new fronts
39:21there became
39:22a new vector
39:23of
39:25very very strong
39:27anti-Israel sentiment
39:28which sometimes
39:30spills over
39:30into
39:32anti-Jewish sentiment
39:34anti-Semitic sentiment
39:36that was new
39:37people were scared of it
39:39but I never thought
39:41it would end in violence.
39:43The government
39:45appointed a special envoy
39:46to combat anti-Semitism
39:47who came up
39:48with a comprehensive strategy
39:49which has not been implemented.
39:51I can't help
39:52but conclude
39:53that had there been
39:55more decisive
39:56firm action
39:57at the beginning
39:57true leadership
39:58that this wouldn't have happened.
40:00CHEERING
40:06At a memorial
40:08a week after the massacre
40:10many there
40:11made very clear
40:12their opinion
40:13of the Prime Minister's
40:14performance
40:14in confronting
40:15anti-Semitism.
40:24I firmly believe
40:26from my personal relationship
40:28with the Prime Minister
40:29and my dealings with him
40:31that he's a good
40:32and decent human being
40:33he abhors racism
40:34anti-Semitism
40:35after the attack
40:36of my old home
40:37he was one of the first
40:38to call
40:38and I could hear
40:39in his voice
40:40that he was shaken
40:42and he was distressed
40:42by it
40:43and I know
40:43that's sincere
40:44I have no doubt
40:44about that
40:47but we need
40:48a Prime Minister
40:48to lead
40:49to show leadership
40:50to go beyond
40:51what's politically expedient
40:53what the party room
40:55says
40:55what this faction says
40:57that's what leadership is
40:58it's about transcending
40:59that
40:59going beyond that.
41:00There was
41:02so much anti-Semitism
41:04that was allowed
41:05to grow unchecked
41:07there was no consequences
41:09and that was a green light
41:11to all the anti-Semitism
41:13that was underground
41:14to suddenly come
41:15to the surface.
41:16Hawaii
41:17our synagogues
41:18The Prime Minister
41:19declined an interview request
41:21from Four Corners.
41:25For many of those
41:26who were in Archer Park
41:27that December day
41:28there is disappointment
41:30that the Prime Minister
41:31had to be pressured
41:31to call a Commonwealth
41:33Royal Commission.
41:35I think
41:36when you've got
41:3715 people
41:39most of them
41:40Australian
41:41that
41:42have died
41:43on Australian soil
41:45and you've got
41:46their blood
41:47on
41:48the grass
41:49and the sand
41:50of Bondi Beach
41:51to
41:52not
41:53immediately
41:55say
41:57obviously
41:58this needs
41:59a Royal Commission
42:03it's
42:04unthinkable.
42:11five weeks
42:12after the
42:13Bondi Massacre
42:14the Federal Parliament
42:15passed hate speech
42:16and gun reform laws
42:17We cherish the promise
42:19At a day of mourning
42:20that same week
42:21the Prime Minister
42:22apologised to the
42:23Jewish community
42:24for failing
42:25to keep them safe
42:26I am deeply
42:27and profoundly
42:28sorry
42:29that we could not
42:30protect your loved ones
42:32from this evil
42:35The New South Wales
42:37government
42:37has moved
42:38to crack down
42:38on protests
42:39by giving police
42:40more power
42:41to ban
42:41street demonstrations
42:42for up to
42:43three months
42:45In a move
42:46that has been
42:47condemned
42:48by civil libertarians
42:49the Premier
42:50also wants
42:51some chants
42:52and statements
42:52banned
42:55I'd like to see
42:56globalised
42:57the Intifada
42:58banned
42:58I mean
42:59this is
42:59globalising
43:00a violent
43:01resistance
43:02so not
43:03Gaza
43:03the West Bank
43:04Israel
43:05the Middle East
43:06but here in
43:07Australia
43:07and ultimately
43:09didn't we just
43:09see what
43:10globalised
43:10the Intifada
43:11means
43:11How much
43:12of a fine line
43:13is it though
43:13I mean
43:15I'll be honest
43:15with you
43:16we don't have
43:16the same
43:17free speech rules
43:18that they have
43:19in the United States
43:19we don't
43:20they're different here
43:21and criminalising it
43:24so that we can
43:24protect
43:25not just
43:25individuals
43:26who have a fear
43:27of walking
43:28down the street
43:29and being
43:29racially vilified
43:31but also a recognition
43:32that we've got
43:32people from around
43:33the world
43:33from different races
43:34different religions
43:35we come to Australia
43:36we live side by side
43:37we don't just
43:38tolerate one another
43:39we try and draw out
43:40the best of each
43:41other's cultures
43:42and ideas
43:42and identities
43:43and make it
43:44a homogenous
43:44Australian one
43:45well that does
43:46require guard rails
43:59My dad was killed
44:01for who he was
44:04so yes
44:05he survived the Nazis
44:06he survived the Soviets
44:08he survived all sorts
44:09of hate
44:10he didn't survive
44:11of that type of hate
44:24in the face of hate
44:25thousands have gathered
44:27at Bondi Beach
44:27in a show of unity
44:28and in support
44:30of the Jewish community
44:33but the horror of that day
44:35remains raw
44:35for those who witnessed it
44:37like Bondi local
44:38and cameraman
44:39Nick Castellaro
44:42The beach helps
44:43the water helps
44:44you know
44:45it's a bit of a healer
44:47it's just sad mate
44:48as I say
44:49it's just sad for Bondi
44:50but sad for our country
44:51mate
44:52that's what I think
45:00Shana Goodnick's parents
45:01met at Bondi Beach
45:04and it's where her father
45:05and it's where her father
45:05Reuven died
45:06defending the lives
45:07of others
45:10For us
45:11it's a place
45:13that's
45:14at the same time
45:16filled with
45:16Jewish blood
45:17but
45:18an iconic Sydney landmark
45:20where
45:21so many heroes
45:22rose up on that day
45:24gave their lives up
45:25for others
45:26ran through
45:27the shooting
45:28to protect
45:29to save
45:30and to help
45:30so at one hand
45:32we have
45:33the absolute massacre
45:34that occurred there
45:35but we have
45:35so many stories
45:36of light
45:37and heroism
45:38coming forward
45:40And for the professional
45:42lifeguards
45:42and volunteer
45:43lifesavers
45:44who work at Bondi
45:45and who rushed in
45:46to help that day
45:47a simple message
45:48to the families
45:49who lost loved ones
45:53I'm pretty adamant
45:54just to let them know
45:55that
45:55no one was left alone
45:57in their time of need
45:58the care and love
45:59I saw everyone
46:00get given
46:01holding their hand
46:03all the way
46:04to the end
46:05wherever that was
46:06where they were
46:07being led to an ambulance
46:08or they were
46:09in their last moment
46:10there was good
46:11caring people
46:12around
46:13all the time
46:14working tirelessly
46:15to save their lives
46:16like
46:17if that's some
46:18small thing
46:19that the families
46:20and friends
46:21can take out of it
46:22they weren't alone
46:22they were definitely
46:23not alone
46:26Others have to navigate
46:27the terrible events
46:28of that day
46:29with their children
46:30like Jessica Chapnick Kahn
46:32who shielded her daughter
46:34Shemi
46:34with her body
46:37When she found out
46:38Matilda died
46:39and that really
46:40broke me
46:42and the look
46:43on her face
46:44was like
46:45horrifying to me
46:46she just
46:48she looked
46:49so hurt
46:52and she just
46:53said
46:53can a child
46:54die
46:55can a kid
46:56die
46:57it's hard enough
46:58for an adult
46:59to even understand
47:01this whole thing
47:01let alone
47:03a five year old
47:22the Jewish
47:23thirty day
47:23mourning period
47:24known as
47:25Sloshim
47:26is coming
47:27to an end
47:31down at Bondi
47:32thousands
47:34including survivors
47:35and the families
47:36of victims
47:36have come
47:37to commemorate
47:38and to comfort
47:39among them
47:40Jessica Chapnick Kahn
47:42May we find
47:43a new path
47:44with heart
47:45a new path
47:46of wisdom
47:48that children
47:50and people
47:51everywhere
47:52may live
47:53and breathe
47:54in peace
47:55Thank you
47:57for holding us
47:58and for witnessing
47:58this story
48:08They didn't die
48:09helpless
48:10Every day
48:11during the
48:1130 day mourning
48:12period
48:13the names
48:13of those
48:14who were killed
48:14have been read out
48:17Reuven Morrison
48:1962 years of age
48:21He saved lives
48:22in those moments
48:23and he took
48:23those bullets
48:24He was always
48:25our hero
48:26growing up
48:26as a little girl
48:27always so proud
48:28of my dad
48:29and now we could
48:30share his heroism
48:31with the whole world
48:33Alex Clayton
48:35an 87 year old
48:37Holocaust survivor
48:38He came here
48:39to escape that hate
48:40and to escape
48:40that darkness
48:41He died protecting
48:43my man
48:44being a proud Jew
48:46lighting the light
48:52Standing against
48:53antisemitism
48:54something which was
48:55very dear to him
48:58Tanya Tretiak
49:00Adam Smythe
49:02Boris Tetleroid
49:04Edith Brutman
49:06Boris and Sophia Gorman
49:09Rabbi Yaakov Levitin
49:11Mareka Pogany
49:1427 year old
49:15Dan L. Kayam
49:17Tibor Whiteson
49:19Rabbi Eli Schlanger
49:22Peter Marr
49:2361 years of age
49:25He was doing
49:26what he loved
49:27among people
49:29who knew him
49:30and in some
49:31respects
49:32loved him
49:33when I found out
49:35that that last
49:35photo of
49:36young Matilda
49:37with the bubbles
49:38that Peter
49:39had taken that
49:40it warmed my heart
49:41that there was
49:42such a joyful
49:42photo
49:43a remembrance
49:44of her
49:52I want her
49:54to be remembered
49:55like a light
49:56that will
49:57overcome
49:57darkness
49:58nothing will
50:00return her back
50:01but
50:02if her death
50:03will do
50:03something good
50:05something good
50:06it will
50:06mean a lot
50:07to me
50:12Did you have
50:14any flowers
50:15Yes
50:17Hey
50:18Oh
50:19Stingy
50:20For Michael
50:21and Valentina
50:22their focus
50:22is now
50:23on their
50:23six-year-old
50:24daughter
50:24Summer
50:25allowing her
50:26to both
50:27grieve
50:27and to
50:28grow
50:28It's okay
50:29Hug you
50:32We have to
50:33worry about her
50:33we have to
50:34make sure
50:34that she's okay
50:35and she doesn't
50:36see us
50:36always
50:37in distress
50:39Sorry guys
50:40Can I get
50:41a couple of
50:42minutes
50:42I'm sorry
50:43Of course
50:43of course
50:44Sorry
50:44I need a bit
50:45of fresh
50:45Yeah
50:46Yes
50:46Of course
50:47Sorry
50:48Michael
50:49It's okay
50:50Thank you
50:58My family
50:59went home
50:59that day
51:00and they lit
51:00candles
51:01and they lit
51:02candles
51:03every day
51:04of Hanukkah
51:05even when
51:06it was hard
51:15There is light
51:17and I have
51:19been so
51:20grateful
51:21and overwhelmed
51:23by the
51:23outpouring of
51:24love and
51:25support and
51:26we refuse
51:27to believe
51:28that darkness
51:30is going to
51:31overcome light
51:32We won't let
51:33it
51:34Up in the
51:36night sky
51:37Her smile
51:38is shining
51:39bright as
51:40day
51:40I hope
51:41and I'm
51:42glad that
51:42this song
51:43will be
51:43connected
51:43to Al
51:44Matilda
51:45for maybe
51:46you know
51:47for the
51:47future
51:47because this
51:48song is
51:48connected
51:49to Australia
51:50and I feel
51:51like
51:52you know
51:53like Al
51:53Matilda
51:54will be
51:55will be
51:56remembered
51:57through that
51:57song
51:58and connected
51:58forever
52:07you'll come
52:09a-waltzing
52:11Matilda
52:12with me
52:13and she sang
52:15and she laughed
52:16in the dancing
52:18flames of
52:19fire
52:20you'll come
52:23a-waltzing
52:24Matilda
52:26with me
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