Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout (left), Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack (centre) and State Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr have combined to announce a special vigil to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga’s Victory Memorial Gardens will host a special vigil to remember and honour the 15 victims of Sunday’s terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
Organised by Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, the vigil will take place at 6 pm on Thursday (18 December) and serve as an opportunity for the Wagga community to mourn those who were tragically killed in the attack.
In a combined stance with State Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr and Wagga Wagga Mayor Dallas Tout, Mr McCormack said the vigil was a sign of respect for the attack victims and to the Australian Jewish community.
“We will be holding a community candlelight vigil on behalf of the city, on behalf of the council, on behalf of the community, to stand together with our friends from Jewish Australia, with our friends who are shocked right across the nation,” Mr McCormack said.
“This is Wagga Wagga’s way of showing that we care, that we support, that we love all that is great about Australia, and how sad we feel as a city, as a community, for those 15 beautiful lives taken so suddenly and so tragically on Bondi Beach.
“We urge members of the community to come to light a candle. I’d encourage community members to come along as a way of showing their solidarity, as a way of showing their love, their hope and their peace.”
Both Dr McGirr and Cr Tout echoed Mr McCormack’s sentiment, saying the vigil was a time for healing and reaching out to those who had been impacted.
“I think this is an important way for the Wagga, and indeed the regional, community to show their solidarity with the people who are suffering such pain and such loss, to wrap our arms around the innocent victims in the Jewish community in Sydney,” Dr McGirr said.
“As a community, to say that we won’t accept that this is something that will divide us.
“I think this is a really important chance for our city to support those who are suffering such grief, such loss, but also a way that we can come together and reassert how important community and unity are for us in Australia, that peace is important and that we do what we can to promote that.”
Cr Tout emphasised the importance of hosting a vigil even though many people in the community were scared and distraught.
“This is what we do when events like this happen: we stand up with others and say no to any of these sorts of events,” Cr Tout said.
“We will not stand for this in this community or any other community, because if you do not take any action or do not stand up as a community and contemplate what has happened and say no to these sorts of evil acts, that’s when there’s an opening for those sorts of things to possibly happen.”
The vigil for the victims of the Bondi Beach attack will be held at 6 pm this Thursday (18 December) at Wagga’s Victory Memorial Gardens.
