Australia Passes Sweeping Gun Laws, Tightens Protest Restrictions After Bondi Beach Massacre

In the wake of the nation's deadliest mass shooting in decades, Australian lawmakers have approved sweeping new gun laws and protest restrictions. The measures were passed in response to the December attack on a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left 15 people dead in what authorities describe as an antisemitic terrorist attack.Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, accused of perpetrating the attack, allegedly carried out extensive planning, including firearms training and a nighttime reconnaissance trip to the beach. The duo's motivations were detailed in a video recorded in October, in which they railed against 'Zionists' while displaying the flag of the Islamic State jihadist group. The new laws, described as the toughest firearm reforms in the country, will limit gun ownership to four or 10 for exempted individuals, and give authorities the power to ban protests for up to three months following a terrorist incident. While the state government claims the laws will 'keep people safe,' a broad coalition of groups has vowed to challenge the anti-protest measures, accusing the state of disregarding due process and fundamental rights. The federal government is also pushing for new laws to address hate speech, including an aggravated offence for hate preaching and penalties for radicalizing minors. In a separate measure, the government will pay gun owners to surrender 'surplus, newly banned, and illegal firearms' in the largest gun buyback since 1996.