Amidst the mourning, following last weekend’s attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach, the community banded together to pay tribute to the fallen.

On Friday, hundreds gathered at Bondi for an honorary paddle-out – commemorating the 15 killed during the shooting, the dozens injured, the families grieving, and the heroic surf lifesavers who jumped into action during the chaotic, hateful incident last Sunday.

Our hearts go out to the people of Sydney, Australia, and those affected by this horrific incident. Below, take a look at photos from the gathering.

Speaker, thinker, and surfing’s 1977 world champion, Shaun Tomson, commented on the traditional paddle-out and the aftermath of such a tragic event:

“The paddle out is the surfers' way of honoring the life of the departed, an emotional, respectful and warm goodbye based on the ethos that all surfers are joined by one ocean. Wishing that our divided and polarized society could somehow link arms and come together while floating atop the healing power of the ocean.

“I send love, prayers and sympathy to all the families and friends of those that were savagely taken from us and I pray for leaders to take action and for voters to hold their leaders accountable. The time for words is long gone. Don't let the heat of outrage cool. No more hate speech, no more indoctrination and no more intimidation.”

Related: Surf Lifesavers Hailed as Heroes in Bondi Beach Attack

This story was originally published by Surfer on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here.