A new police unit armed with military assault rifles has begun patrolling the streets of Sydney in an Australian-first measure set up in response to the Bondi Beach attack in December.

The Armed Response Command will deploy at major events, crowded public spaces, sporting venues and places of worship to conduct "high-visibility" patrols, New South Wales state police said.

The move comes after two men opened fire on a Jewish celebration at the famous beach, killing 15 people in an antisemitic attack motivated by Islamic State ideology.

The A$94 million unit is composed of 250 officers armed with Australian combat assault rifles.

The measure is the first of its kind in Australia, where the presence of heavily armed police officers is rare.

"The tragic events at Bondi demonstrated the devastating consequences when an alleged armed offender attacks innocent people," unit commander Detective Superintendent Andrew Evans said.

"The Armed Response Command ensures we have highly trained officers in the right places, with the right equipment, ready to act when seconds matter."

Amnesty International Australia said the introduction of heavily armed police patrols in Sydney raised "serious questions" about the increasing militarisation of policing and the safeguards in place to protect human rights. (Reuters)




Edited by Tony Sabine