Sydney mayor announces major backflip to New Year celebrations in the city following Bondi massacre
The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, on Monday announced a change to the New Year's Eve tribute to victims of the Bondi Beach attack.
The Lord Mayor of Sydney has backed down from a decision to leave out Jewish symbols from a tribute to Bondi victims during the city's New Year's Eve fireworks.
Clover Moore on Monday said a menorah, a candelabrum used for Hanukkah and inside Jewish temples, will be projected onto a pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the event.
Last week it was announced that at 9pm on New Year's Eve, the Harbour Bridge would be lit up in white and the image of a dove and the word 'peace' would be projected onto it in a memorial.
Those who will gather to watch the famous midnight fireworks will also be asked to pause for a moment of silence at 11pm to honour the victims of the alleged terrorist attack and condemn antisemitism.
Prominent Jewish groups and figures claimed that the vague use of a dove and the word 'peace' didn't recognise that the attack had targeted a Jewish gathering.
More than 30 cultural leaders - including Caleb's Crossing author Geraldine Brooks, Australian singer Deborah Conway and documentary filmmaker Danny Ben-Moshe - signed a letter calling for a Jewish symbol to be included in the memorial.
'We acknowledge the City of Sydney's plan as a gesture of remembrance, and agree with the need for such a gesture; however, we consider the imagery and word chosen to be insufficient as they do not acknowledge the Jewish particularity of the Bondi massacre,' the letter reads.
The signatories argued that the use of the word 'peace' without recognising that Jews had been targetted was insulting, as the Jewish community's 'generic calls for peace' amid rising antisemitism had been ignored for the past two years.
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore (pictured at a memorial at Bondi Beach) announced a Jewish symbol will be included in a tribute to the victims of the Bondi beach terror attack during the city's famous fireworks display
The day after the Bondi attack a menorah was projected onto the Opera House (pictured)
'The selection of this word, coupled with the dove, without any specific reference to the targeting of the Jewish community, prolongs our erasure and obfuscates the problem of domestic antisemitism,' the letter claimed.
'It is insulting to strip our friends and family, who were killed for being Jews, of the dignity of being recognised as Jews in their death.'
Moore responded to the letter on Monday, stating a menorah would be projected onto the Harbour Bridge during the minute of silence and the word 'unity' would appear alongside 'peace'.
'I continue to listen to the community to ensure the acknowledgment of the horrific attacks at Bondi Beach during New Year's Eve is appropriate,' Moore said.
'Following the minute silence, a projection of the peace dove and the words Peace and Unity will be shown on the pylons.