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Kian Bentley, a Scottish musician residing in Australia, recounted the chaotic scene at an open-air cinema when gunfire erupted during an attack on a Hannukah event at Bondi Beach, Sydney. Bentley, who was working at the venue, initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks. He described how people “stampeded” towards safety, and how he quickly opened a back gate to help attendees flee to a nearby police station. The shooting, which tragically claimed 15 lives, including that of a 10-year-old girl, took place on Sunday evening during the Chanuka by the Sea festival.
Local media identified the gunmen involved in the attack as Sajid Akram, aged 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24. Police fatally shot the elder Akram during the incident, while his son remains critically injured in hospital. Dramatic footage, verified by the BBC, captured a bystander named Ahmed al Ahmed who bravely disarmed one of the shooters, forcing him to retreat, an act that likely saved lives amid the panic.
Bentley, who had moved to Sydney to further his music career, described the moment in detail. Just before 7 pm local time, he was texting friends when he heard several sharp bangs. At first, he assumed they were fireworks, a thought quickly dispelled by distant screams and the sudden panic of cinema-goers fleeing the scene. “I quickly opened the fence for the back gate and everyone stampeded out. Hundreds of people just panicked. As soon as I saw everyone panicking, I knew it was serious,” Bentley told BBC Newsbeat.
The tragedy in Australia has resonated with Jewish communities elsewhere, notably in Scotland. Following a recent attack on a Manchester synagogue in October that resulted in two deaths during Yom Kippur, Jewish leaders there have expressed growing fear and tension. Sammy Stein, chairman of Glasgow Friends of Israel, cited a rise in hate crimes and a climate of intimidation linked in part to the Israel-Gaza conflict two years ago. Stein emphasized the need for security measures at synagogues and schools, noting increased anxiety within the community. Similarly, Mark Gardner from the Community Security Trust highlighted concerns about the future of Jews in Scotland, pointing to significant security investments but also warning that persistent hostility could drive people away. Scotland’s senior Rabbi, Moshe Rubin, mentioned an “institutionalised anti-Israel feeling” in some Scottish public bodies, which he believes contributes to a spike in antisemitism and a growing sense of exclusion among Jewish residents
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