King Charles has said he is appalled and saddened by what he described as a most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.
At least 11 people were killed and 29 others taken to hospital after a shooting at Bondi Beach on Sunday, according to police.
In a statement, the King said that he and Queen Camilla’s “hearts go out to everyone who has been affected so dreadfully”, adding that the light symbolised by the Jewish festival “will always triumph over the darkness of such evil”.
Among those killed was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a London-born rabbi and father of five, his family confirmed.
The 41-year-old was described by his cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, as a “caring, vivacious, energetic, outgoing guy who loved people”.
Speaking to the media, Rabbi Lewis urged people to honour his cousin’s memory by spreading kindness and carrying out charitable acts in his name.
“Every human being on earth has a positive way to contribute to making the world a better place,” he said. “We just have to keep spreading light. The world is a positive place and we need to show that, and I know Eli would be saying that.”
The UK’s Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said the Jewish community would rebuild with tenacity. Writing on X, he said: “As we kindle our first Chanukah lights this evening, we hold the victims of the unspeakable atrocity in Sydney in our hearts and in our prayers.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales also issued a statement, saying their “thoughts are with every Australian today” and that they “stand with the Jewish community in grief”.
On Sunday, the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) called on police and the government to ensure the safety of Hanukkah events, which begin this evening and run for eight days. “We must not let hatred extinguish the festival of light,” the organisation said.
In a statement, the JLC said it was devastated and angered by the attack in Sydney, adding that Jews appeared to have been targeted “once again for being Jewish”. It noted that similar hatred exists in the UK, referencing the attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur in October, in which two people were killed.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the Bondi shooting as sickening and said the government was working with the Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish security organisation, to support the policing of Hanukkah events across the UK.
Police Scotland said it had stepped up patrols around synagogues and other Jewish sites and was in active communication with faith leaders. In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Metropolitan Police would increase its visibility in Jewish communities ahead of Hanukkah celebrations.
The Met confirmed the move, saying the attack would cause “significant heightened concern about safety” at a time when Jewish communities were gathering to mark the festival. A menorah was lit in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, while a small vigil was also held outside the Australian High Commission in central London.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski said he was travelling to a Hanukkah event that “should be a celebration but instead our community is once again mourning”.
“I will be thinking of everyone in Australia and those around the world in the Jewish community who know this fear and loss,” he said. “We stand with you.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said it had offered support to its Australian counterparts and was in contact with the UK government over the response.
“The scourges of terrorism and antisemitism are shared, international challenges and need concerted and determined action to defeat them,” it said.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper advised any British nationals affected by the shooting to contact the UK consulate in Sydney for assistance.
