A defiant Pauline Hanson has declared that radical Islamic preachers spreading hate speech in Australia should have been "rounded up" and prosecuted long before the deadly Bondi Beach attack. The One Nation leader made the incendiary comments during a visit to the growing floral tribute at Bondi Pavilion on Tuesday, where she was met by mourners grieving for the 15 victims of Sunday's massacre.
Hanson's Call for Action and Public Reaction
"I would have them rounded up," Ms Hanson stated emphatically. "Rounded up and you would be charged over your hate speech. It should not be allowed on our streets." She specifically referenced celebrations in Australia following the October 7 attacks on Israel, arguing such behaviour should have been immediately investigated.
Her visit and remarks garnered significant support online, with one social media user declaring her a "voice of reason" and another suggesting she should be "our next prime minister." Hanson, who claims to have been "ridiculed" for her immigration stance, used the occasion to call for stricter migration policies and a ten-year eligibility period for citizenship.
ASIO Links and the Alleged Attacker's Background
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday that the alleged shooter, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, was the subject of a six-month ASIO investigation in 2019 due to his associations with "individuals of concern." The probe concluded he did not pose an ongoing threat.
It has since been revealed the investigation was triggered by Akram's connection to hate-preaching influencer El Matari, then 26. El Matari was arrested in July 2019 for being a member of Islamic State and planning a terrorist act. The Australian Federal Police began monitoring him after he returned from Lebanon, where he had served nine months in jail for attempting to join IS.
Furthermore, counterterrorism officials discovered during the ASIO probe that Naveed Akram was a follower of pro-Islamic State preacher Wisam Haddad. Haddad, a religious leader with known ties to Australian terrorists and foreign jihadists, has been under ASIO surveillance for years but has never been charged with a terrorism offence.
Government Criticism and Rising Tensions
Ms Hanson, who met the family of 10-year-old victim Matilda, accused the federal government of ignoring clear warning signs. "The Prime Minister never heeded the warning signs including the weekly antisemitic protests across our nation, hate speech from certain religious clerics... and the probable terrorist threat alert," she said.
She directly challenged Prime Minister Albanese to confront "hate preachers" on the streets, urging him: "Don't be weak and don't be pathetic. It's not about whether you're going to get the Muslim vote... it's about doing the right thing for all Australians."
The attack occurred on Sunday night when Naveed Akram and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly fired shots from a footbridge into a crowd attending a Jewish Hanukkah celebration. The death toll stands at 16, with 22 others still hospitalised. A second vigil was held at Bondi Beach on Tuesday night, where Matilda's grieving parents addressed the crowd.
