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Army could be sent in to protect Australian Jews after Bondi Beach attack
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also said he was considering arming the Community Security Group, which serves a similar function to the CST
December 29, 2025 12:42
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns also said he was considering arming the Community Security Group, which serves a similar function to the CST
December 29, 2025 12:42Australia could deploy troops to protect members of the country’s Jewish community from future terror attacks in the wake of the mass shooting on Sydney's Bondi Beach earlier this month that left 15 people dead.
Asked about the possibility of sending in the army, New South Wales Chris Minns said that nothing was “off the table", and conversations were ongoing.
Speaking to journalists about the measures being put in place to prevent a future attack in the area, Minns said: "We're going to look very closely at security programmes and measures in the future. We have to do things completely differently," Australian broadcaster ABC reported.
Responding to a question concerning whether he would enlist the military, Minns said: "The situation as it currently stands, it can't continue … there's a big challenge ahead of us to rebuild Jewish life in Sydney – so I'm not going to take anything off the table ... We're in discussions about it."
However, he added: "I'm not prepared to front-run it because obviously that's a change for us."
Minns also suggested he might arm members of the New South Wales’ Community Security Group (CSG) – which serves a similar function to the UK’s Community Security Trust – to carry guns in future.
Since the attack, it has emerged that the CSG had warned NSW Police of a heightened risk of violent antisemitism during the Chanukah By the Sea event on Bondi.
Minns said: "Clearly from media reports and my own inquiries, [we can see] that CSG was in contact with NSW Police, and while there were police on site, clearly [there were] not enough to deal with the threat, as history's tragically shown.
"Now that means a root-and-branch change to security protocols and provisions in place.
"It also means we need to have a longer, deeper look at arming CSG. Now that is a step that we haven't taken in the past."
He has already approved new security protocols for the polcie, which will involve more officers carrying long-barrel guns.
"I want to send a clear message that NSW Police will be out in massive numbers," Minns said.
"In some cases, carrying firearms and weapons that you haven't seen before.
"We haven't normally seen on the streets of Sydney, long-armed firearms, but NSW Police will have them."
Other measures implemented to combat violent antisemitism include shutting down illegal prayer halls run by hate prachers, where extremism and radicalisation can spread.
Minns said: "No organisation that preaches hate should have access to any government money under any circumstances.
"We're going to make sure that we're in a position so that if people are running a prayer hall in breach of the conditions that they've been granted, they can be shut down easily and comprehensively.
"Not just with the nominal fine from the local council, but with the switching off of utilities as soon as possible to shut them down.
"We will need legislation for tougher penalties and more onerous remedies, but we're planning on doing that very soon."
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