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Sydney

NSW government still considering arming volunteer Jewish security group despite new police unit

The Minns government is mulling a proposal to allow Community Security Group members to carry weapons at public religious events, even as a $94.3 million heavily armed police squad prepares to deploy.

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time2 min
Sources4 outlets
The New South Wales government is still weighing a proposal to allow volunteer members of the Jewish Community Security Group (CSG) to be armed at public religious events, even after the NSW Police announced a heavily armed, specially trained squad of 250 officers that will deploy with long arm rifles from November.

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announced the Armed Response Command (ARC) on Thursday, saying the first 60 officers would start in November. The squad, established in response to the Bondi terror attack in December last year, will be proactively deployed outside stadiums, places of worship and other major events. When asked about specific deployments, Lanyon said the unit would be mobile and deployed where intelligence indicated a risk.

The ARC, which at full strength will have 250 officers and 28 civilian staff, will carry Australian combat assault rifles in high-risk areas. The Bondi attack saw Sajid and Naveed Akram allegedly use a high-powered rifle and shotgun to shoot dozens of people at a Hanukkah celebration. Local officers engaged the shooters with pistols.

Despite the $94.3 million investment in the police unit, a senior government source said the proposal to extend the CSG's ability to carry firearms at public gatherings is still under consideration. The CSG is a volunteer-run Jewish group already licensed to carry firearms to protect sacred events.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The decision affects the safety of Jewish community events in NSW, particularly after the Bondi terror attack targeted a Hanukkah celebration.
  • It raises questions about the role of armed volunteer groups versus police in public security.
  • The outcome could set a precedent for other community security groups seeking similar powers.

Background

The Bondi terror attack in December last year, in which two alleged attackers used high-powered rifles to shoot dozens at a Hanukkah celebration, prompted the NSW government to review security arrangements. The government responded with a new armed police unit, the Armed Response Command, but has also been considering a proposal to allow the Community Security Group, a volunteer-run Jewish security organisation already licensed to carry firearms at sacred events, to be armed at public gatherings as well.

Key Perspectives

Jewish community: The CSG provides security at Jewish events and has been seeking expanded powers to carry weapons at public gatherings, reflecting concerns about antisemitic attacks and the need for immediate protection. NSW Police and government: The ARC represents a significant investment in police-led armed response. The government is balancing community requests with the principle of keeping firearms in police hands. Critics: Concerns about armed volunteers in public spaces, including risks of mistaken identity, lack of professional training compared to police, and the potential erosion of the state's monopoly on armed response.

What to Watch

  • The timeline for a government decision on the CSG proposal.
  • How the ARC deployment is received at major events, especially places of worship.
  • Any public backlash or community divisions over armed volunteers.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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