Auckland march to stand with Jewish community after Bondi terror attack
A march in support of New Zealand’s Jewish community and against antisemitism will take place in central Auckland on Sunday, following the deadly terrorist attack on a Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
The Auckland March Against Jew Hatred will begin at 3pm in Aotea Square before proceeding down Queen Street. The event has been organised in response to the Bondi attack, in which 16 people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl.
The attack occurred on Sunday evening when father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering near Bondi Beach.
Organiser Lucy Rogers said the march is intended to demonstrate solidarity with the Jewish community and to send a clear message that antisemitism has no place in New Zealand.
“Hanukkah is the celebration of light over darkness, and that’s the kaupapa of our event,” Rogers said.
“New Zealand is now a country which posts armed police outside Jewish schools and synagogues to keep them safe. This cannot become the new normal. We must draw a line in the sand.”
The march is co-hosted by the New Zealand Jewish Council and NZ Against Hamas, with both organisations formally endorsing the event.
Speakers at the rally will include Rogers, New Zealand Jewish Council president Juliet Moses, David Cumin, and representatives from tangata whenua, including Matua Hakiaha, Sheree Trotter and Tawhiri Littlejohn. Representatives from the Muslim community may also attend.
A menorah will be lit during the event, followed by speeches and a vigil before the march proceeds along Queen Street.
Rogers said the organisers are committed to ensuring the event remains peaceful and respectful, urging participants not to carry signs containing profanity or messages of hatred toward any group.
“This march is an opportunity to show our Jewish whānau they are not alone,” she said.
New Zealand Police confirmed they are aware of the planned march and are in contact with organisers to plan their response. Auckland Council said it had been notified of the event but was not involved in its coordination, noting that protests do not require permits under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
Organisers estimate attendance could range from several hundred to several thousand people.
