Bondi Beach: Scottish man working at Bondi Beach thought gunshots were 'fireworks' before hearing screams
He was working at an open-air cinema when the shooting began.
A 22-year-old Scottish man who was working at a cinema in Bondi Beach at the time of the attack on a Hanukkah event on Sunday has described how he thought the gunshots were “fireworks” at first.
Kian Bentley from Stirling, who had moved to Australia to pursue a career in music, told BBC Newsbeat how he opened the gate at the back of the cinema as people “stampeded out” while screams could be heard in the distance.
Mr Bentley recalled the moment he first heard the gunshots and when he realised the situation was serious.
"I just heard two or three bangs go off, but I thought it was fireworks," he said.
"But then you heard screams in the distance and everyone in front of me in the cinema just got up and started running. It became a panic quite instantly.
"I quickly opened the fence for the back gate and everyone stampeded out. Hundreds of people just panicked.
“As soon as I saw everyone panicking, I knew it was serious."
The attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday killed 15 and left 27 people in hospital with injuries.
Many of the victims were attending an event to mark the first day of the Jewish festival of Hannukah, the festival of light. Among them were a 10-year-old girl, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor.
Australian police say a 54-year-old man and his 24-year-old son were behind the shooting and have been named in local media as Sajid and Naveed Akram.
Sajid Akram was killed by police at the scene while his son was taken to hospital after being disarmed by 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, where he is expected to survive his injuries and face charges.
Fear among Jewish community in Scotland
Earlier today, Timothy Lovat, Chair of Jewish Council of Scotland, said the Jewish community in Scotland would “not be deterred” by acts of terror.
He said: “Our hearts go out to the victims of yesterday's attack in Sydney and their families.
“It is intolerable that in the current climate of antisemitism, Jews cannot gather publicly or celebrate religious festivals in any part of the world without fear of attack.
“The news from Sydney yesterday is also a dreadful reminder of the risks facing our Jewish community here in Scotland. There must be no place for anti-Jewish hate - in any guise - anywhere in Scotland.
“We will not be deterred by antisemitism or acts of terror, and we will celebrate Chanukah throughout Scotland.”
He said that the council was liaising “closely” with the police and with the Community Security Trust (CST) to ensure adequate security arrangements are in place while the community continues to celebrate the festival.
On Sunday, Police Scotland confirmed it is carrying out additional patrols around Scots synagogues in the wake of the mass shooting.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson of Police Scotland said officers were already carrying out additional and dedicated patrols around Scots synagogues and other Jewish venues as part of an existing policing plan for the Jewish holiday, but said the force had made contact with faith and community leaders in light of the attack.
Mr Johnson said there is no intelligence to suggest a specific threat in Scotland but asked the public to remain vigilant.
Moshe Rubin, the Senior Rabbi of Scotland, said there was “definitely” fear among Jewish communities in Scotland and that many people are contemplating leaving Scotland because they no longer feel welcome.
"No one knows what is going to happen next, where it's going to happen next," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "Everyone feels it's going to happen again, and there's a sense of not feeling welcomed any more in Scotland.
"So therefore people are contemplating leaving Scotland and going to Israel - going anywhere, but Israel feels the safest place for us."
The moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Reverend Rosie Frew, said: “The massacre of innocent people gathered at Bondi Beach to celebrate the first day of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is the most appalling atrocity, one felt world-wide.
“This is a dark time for Australia and the Jewish community.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved and the injured, with the people of Sydney and with the Jewish community.”
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