SYDNEY, Australia — Sydney ushered in the New Year with its world-famous fireworks display under heightened security, paying tribute to victims of a deadly attack that shook the city weeks earlier.
Despite the somber backdrop, the Australian city pushed through with its traditional New Year’s Eve celebration, featuring more than 40,000 pyrotechnic effects launched across a seven-kilometer stretch of Sydney Harbour.
Fireworks lit up landmarks including the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
Ahead of midnight, organizers observed a minute of silence at 11:00 p.m. local time in remembrance of the victims of the December 14 attack.
During the tribute, the Harbour Bridge was illuminated in white, while a menorah was projected onto its pylons in a symbolic gesture honoring the Jewish community.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the New Year celebration was intended to bring unity and hope after what she described as a tragic end to the year for the city.
The attack, allegedly carried out by a father and son, claimed the lives of 15 people during a Hanukkah gathering in Bondi.
It was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years and reignited concerns over rising antisemitism nationwide.
In response, holiday festivities in Bondi were subdued, with several Christmas and New Year events canceled out of respect for the victims.
Authorities deployed about 3,000 police officers across Sydney during the celebrations, some armed with long firearms, as crowds estimated at over one million people gathered to welcome 2026.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the city’s decision to proceed with the celebrations reflected resilience, emphasizing that Sydney would not allow violence to alter its way of life.