Police armed with long-barrelled rifles will patrol the sold-out fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground this Sunday as part of heightened security following the Bondi terror attack. The measures, which include uniformed and mounted officers as well as public order and riot squad units, come three weeks after two gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Saturday that there was no specific threat to the community, but the increased visibility of firearms was intended to reassure the public. “Many people may not be used to seeing police carrying rifles at sporting events, but our objective here is to help the public feel safe,” he said.
The deployment mirrors security at the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 December, where specialist officers armed with semi-automatic rifles patrolled the stadium, nearby park and railway station. Lanyon added that police would also target anti-social and unsafe behaviour as usual.
Seven people remain hospitalised following the 14 December attack at Bondi. Six are in a stable condition and one is critical but stable. Naveed Akram, 24, one of the two accused gunmen, faces 59 charges including 15 counts of murder. He was shot by police at the scene and spent several days in a coma before being charged. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed by police at the scene.
