Police in Sydney, Australia, conducted a dramatic operation on Thursday, detaining seven men who were traveling in two vehicles toward Bondi Beach. The incident involved a tactical police unit ramming one of the cars to stop it.
Operation Triggered by Tip-Off
According to Robert Gregory, CEO of the Australian Jewish Association who relayed initial reports, the police action was "apparently after police were tipped off." The men were reportedly en route to the scene of the December 14th massacre at Bondi Beach, where a Chanukah celebration was attacked.
In that prior attack, two suspected jihadists murdered 15 people and wounded dozens more. At least one of the vehicles stopped on Thursday had license plates registered in the state of Victoria, south of New South Wales.
Police Deny Connection to Terror Probe
New South Wales Police issued a statement shortly after 8:15 p.m. local time, confirming the operation had concluded and there was no ongoing risk to the community. Crucially, the statement addressed public concerns by clarifying, "Police have not identified any connection to the current police investigation of the Bondi terror attack."
The police did not disclose whether the seven detainees had been released or if any items were recovered from their possession. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that police used a tactical operations vehicle to ram the car with Victorian plates before taking the men into custody.
Context of Criticism and Heightened Tensions
Robert Gregory noted the seriousness of the police response, describing it as "quite intense policing for Australia." Gregory is among the critics of Australian authorities' handling of security in the lead-up to the December 14th massacre.
He and others have pointed to the permitting of anti-Israel rallies featuring inflammatory rhetoric without intervention, even as antisemitic incidents in Australia reportedly quadrupled after the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. The police response during the Bondi attack itself has also faced scrutiny, with footage showing officers taking cover for extended periods while the assailants fired on the crowd.
"It remains to be seen exactly what happened," Gregory said regarding Thursday's detention operation. The event underscores the continued state of high alert and community tension in Sydney following the devastating beachfront terror attack.
