Armed patrols hit the streets of Sydney after the Bondi Beach attack

New patrols in Sydney

Armed police officers have begun patrolling the streets of Sydney as part of a new operation Armed Response Command (ARC), introduced after the Bondi Beach attack. Specially trained officers with long-barrelled rifles are patrolling busy tourist areas — for most residents, this kind of policing is unfamiliar. The New South Wales Police said officers will also be on duty at major events, such as sports matches, and at places of worship, in order to 'prevent, deter and rapidly respond to serious threats', including attacks by armed offenders. The operation will eventually involve 250 officers, who will travel in specially equipped vehicles. Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans described ARC's guiding principle as 'the preservation of life'.

Context of the attack

The trigger for the tightened security measures was the attack on 14 December 2025, when two gunmen opened fire on people attending an event marking the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah at the popular Bondi beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl. It was Australia's deadliest mass shooting in almost three decades, and it led to a sweeping reform of gun laws and a crackdown on hate speech, as well as putting pressure on the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, which was being urged to act against antisemitism. One of the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram, faces 78 charges, including 15 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of committing a terrorist act. His father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who also fired into the crowd, was shot dead by police at the scene.

Public reaction

Residents' reactions were divided: one city dweller described the sight of armed police as 'unnerving', noting that 'those rifles are huge', while another woman said the officers' weapons make her feel safe. Jewish communities welcomed the new operation. 'No Australian wants to see officers with military-style weapons on our streets, but the sight of body bags is far worse,' said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Amnesty International Australia, by contrast, expressed concern about the 'militarisation of policing' and demanded that the state government guarantee ARC will not be used to suppress peaceful protests. 'Any expansion of police powers must be accompanied by clear, publicly available rules, independent oversight and accountability,' said Andrew Whitford of the organisation. The state's police minister, Yasmin Catley, defended the measures, saying: 'Our world has changed forever... we will never be the same again.'

Image source, NSW Police