The incident occurred at the “Light over Darkness” vigil in Bondi, held to commemorate those killed in the December 14 terror attack. Video from the scene shows the man yelling toward Albanese before being restrained and forced away by police. Authorities confirmed the man was briefly restrained by police at the event and ordered to leave, but he was not arrested, according to the Daily Mail. There were no injuries reported at the event.
The vigil was attended by thousands and marked the first major public memorial since the attack, which left 15 people dead. Fourteen victims were killed at the scene, with a fifteenth later dying in hospital.
Meanwhile, newly released court documents provide further detail on how the attack was allegedly planned and carried out. Prosecutors allege the shooting was conducted by Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, who was shot dead by police during an exchange of gunfire at the scene.
According to court filings, the two men planned the attack over several months and conducted reconnaissance two days before the shooting. CCTV footage from December 12 shows two men “believed to be the accused and his father” walking along a footbridge overlooking Bondi Beach, the same location where the attack later occurred.
“The accused and his father, S Akram, are seen to exit the vehicle and walk along the footbridge, being the same position where they attended two days later and shot at members of the public,” the document states, according to the BBC. “Police allege that this is evidence of reconnaissance and planning of a terrorist act.”
Investigators allege that on the day of the attack, CCTV captured the men leaving rented accommodation in Campsie carrying long, bulky items wrapped in blankets. Police say the items included firearms, four improvised explosive devices, and two Islamic State flags.
Court documents allege the attackers first threw three pipe bombs and a “tennis ball bomb” into the crowd, however, none detonated. They then opened fire on Jewish attendees at the Hanukkah celebration.
Prosecutors also cite videos from October allegedly showing the father and son conducting firearms training in a rural area, firing shotguns and moving tactically. Another video is described as showing the two seated in front of an Islamic State flag while condemning “the acts of ‘Zionists’,” with Naveed Akram appearing to recite a passage from the Quran in Arabic.
Authorities confirmed that Naveed Akram had previously come to the attention of security agencies in 2019 over suspected links to a Sydney-based Islamic State cell. Officials said an assessment at the time found no indication of an ongoing threat.
Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one terrorism-related charge. He was critically injured during the attack, released from the hospital on Monday, and transferred to prison as investigations continue.
