Australia’s top cop has revealed hate preachers are allegedly hiring lawyers to avoid being charged for hate-speech crimes, as she vows to stamp out anti-Semitism in the wake of the Bondi massacre.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett emphasised that hate preachers are being investigated, and have been some time, in a statement released on Saturday afternoon.
“It is clear some of these preachers have hired lawyers to ensure they do not reach the threshold to be charged for hate speech and other crimes,” Barrett said.
“It is clear some of these preachers know exactly what they are doing – and are clearly trying to cause fear and division.
“The announcement this week to lower the threshold for hate speech will give the AFP greater scope to deter and charge individuals who are injecting and directing poisonous language towards the Jewish community.”
She added that search warrants continued to be carried out, some as recently as yesterday, following the terror attack that killed 15 innocent people.
“The location of the search warrants will not be made public but let me reassure Australians that we are leaving no stone unturned in Australia and overseas in this investigation,” she said.
A “wider net” to identify others is being cast on those not directly related to the investigation to identify people who “should be under the attention of law enforcement and intelligence agencies”, she added.
A floral memorial set up outside Bondi Pavilion will be cleared on Monday, news.com.au has reported.
A picture of a sign, posted by the outlet, reads: “The floral memorial will be removed on Monday, December 22 to preserve the community’s tributes.
“The Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Jewish Historical Society will help collect and preserve the materials.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has backed calls for a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack, saying it was important for the “full picture” to be revealed.
Minns was speaking as he announced a suite of proposed laws to clamp down on “hateful symbols” in the wake of the terror attack.
This includes outlawing terror symbols such as Isis flags, the slogan “globalise the intifada” and giving the police greater powers to remove face coverings during protests.
When asked if he supported a royal commission into the attack, he said: “I think we need a royal commission right now. We’ve got bits and pieces of the jigsaw puzzle here, but we don’t have the full picture.
“And until we’ve got a full and accurate picture of exactly how this happened with a plan to ensure that it doesn’t happen again, then I don’t have answers to the people of NSW about what happened on Sunday.
“It’s clear that the criminal investigation has uncovered parts of what happened.
“But we need a comprehensive look at this horrible terrorism event.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australians stand with the Jewish community during this “dark time” in a message of condolence after the Bondi attack.
Albanese signed the book in Canberra ahead of a meeting with the National Security Committee on Saturday.
Albanese signed the condolence book on Saturday morning to “honour the victims and those who loved them”.
The PM wrote: “My sincere condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones in the anti-Semitic terror attack on Bondi Beach.
“The Australian community stands with Jewish Australians at this dark time and will work together to emerge into the light.”
More than A$5 million ($5.7m) has been raised for the victims.
National hero Ahmed al-Ahmed will receive more than A$2.5m ($2.8m) as Australians and people from around the world continue to show their support for the man who risked his life and disarmed one of the attackers.
Online fundraising platform GoFundMe has 14 verified fundraisers, including for the youngest victim 10-year-old Matilda, Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert who was shot in the head and shoulder, and Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman who died protecting his wife Larisa.
After receiving news of the donation from his hospital bed, Ahmed was asked: “If you could say one thing to the people that donated, what would you say?”
“To stand with each other, all human beings,” he said.
“And forget everything bad, put it behind the back and keep going to save lives.”
For the youngest victim, Matilda, more than A$875,000 ($1m) has been raised to support her family.
A fundraiser created for Rabbi Eli Schlanger has almost achieved its goal of A$450,000 ($516,000) for the “beloved rabbi, teacher and friend” who was also tragically killed.
Hundreds of surf lifesavers paid tribute to the victims as they gathered on Bondi Beach on Saturday morning.
The lifesavers stood shoulder to shoulder, hand-in-hand as they participated in two minutes of silence to the sounds of crashing waves.
Many of the lifesavers were on shift when the massacre happened and were some of the first people to help the wounded before emergency services arrived.
“They are feeling quite fragile,” Surf Life Saving Australia president Peter Agnew told the ABC.
“They’re coming back to support each other this morning” as well as show their support for the Jewish community, he said.
NSW Health provided an update on the recovering victims, as nurses and doctors continue to support the 15 patients recovering in different Sydney hospitals.
Four of the 15 are in a critical but stable condition at St George and St Vincent’s hospitals.
Others, all stable, are being treated at Prince of Wales, St George, St Vincent’s, Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.