Heavily Armed Police Begin Sydney Patrols in Wake of Bondi Beach Channukah Attack
The new Armed Response Command will eventually field 250 rifle-carrying officers in busy areas in response to the December 2025 Bondi Beach terrorist attack.
Heavily armed police officers began patrolling Sydney's streets on Sunday in response to the December 2025 terrorist attack on a Channukah celebration at Bondi Beach.
The new Armed Response Command, known as ARC, will eventually number 250 specially trained officers carrying long-arm rifles in busy tourist areas, at major events such as sports matches, and outside places of worship. The unit is intended to deter threats and rapidly respond to active armed offender incidents.
Jewish community leaders welcomed the deployment. "No Australian wants to see officers with military 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 raised concerns about the "militarisation of policing," with spokesman Andrew Witheford urging "clear, publicly accessible rules, robust independent oversight and accountability."
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said: "This is about backing our police with the capability they need to detect threats early and respond rapidly when the community needs them."