Heavily armed police officers have begun patrolling the streets of Sydney as part of heightened security measures introduced after last year's deadly shooting at Bondi Beach. The new Armed Response Command (ARC) puts specially trained officers in busy tourist areas, where they will carry long-arm rifles — a sight New South Wales police acknowledge is unfamiliar to most residents.
According to the force, ARC officers will also be deployed at major events such as sports matches and at places of worship. Their stated purpose is "to prevent, deter and rapidly respond to serious threats, including active armed offender incidents". New South Wales police said the unit is designed to be "highly visible across Sydney, driving specialist vehicles and carrying rifles", and Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said its role "is built on a simple principle - preserving life".
The deployment follows an attack on 14 December in which two gunmen opened fire on an event marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the popular beach. Fifteen people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed. It was Australia's worst mass shooting in almost three decades and led to sweeping gun law reforms and a crackdown on hate speech.
Reaction among Sydney residents has been mixed. One resident told ABC News that the presence of armed police was "unnerving", adding: "They are just everywhere. Those guns are huge." Another woman told the broadcaster that seeing officers with weapons made her feel safe.
The shooting put considerable pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government, with calls for immediate action on antisemitism. Jewish communities have welcomed the new operation, which will eventually consist of 250 officers. Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said: "No Australian wants to see officers with military weapons on our streets, but the sight of body bags is far worse."
Amnesty International Australia, however, said it was concerned about the "militarisation of policing" and asked the state government for assurances that ARC will not be used to suppress peaceful protests. "Any expansion of police powers and capabilities must be accompanied by clear, publicly accessible rules, robust independent oversight and accountability," said the organisation's Andrew Witheford.
The New South Wales administration defended the measures. Police Minister Yasmin Catley told the ABC: "Our world changed forever. That's just the truth of it, right across this country. And I said it at the time, we will never be the same again."
One of the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram, has been charged with 78 offences, including 15 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, who was also armed and shot at the crowd on Bondi Beach, was killed by police at the scene.
Sources: BBC News World.