Israel's president visits Sydney's Bondi Beach massacre site and meets victims' families

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Israel President Isaac Herzog started a state visit Monday aimed at consoling grieving Australian Jews and improving bilateral relations by laying a wreath and stones at the site of an antisemitic attack in Sydney that left 15 dead.

Herzog met victims’ families and survivors of the Dec. 14 attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach. Only one of the two alleged gunmen survived following a gunbattle with police. Naveed Akram has been charged with committing a terrorist act, murdering 15 people and wounding another 40 in what was Australia's worst mass shooting in 29 years.

Herzog laid the wreath and two stones he had brought from Jerusalem at the rain-swept Bondi Pavillion near the site of the massacre. The pavilion became on impromptu memorial in the days after the tragedy as flowers and cards were placed there.

The Israeli president said the stones would remain at Bondi in memory of the victims and as a reminder that good people of all faiths and nations “will continue to hold strong in the face of terror, violence and hatred, and that we shall overcome this evil together.”

“We were shaken to our core when we first heard about the Bondi Beach attack. Our heart missed a beat, like all Israelis and all Jews. And I’m here to express solidarity, friendship, and love,” Herzog told reporters.

“And I also believe that this is an opportunity to upgrade the relations between Israel and Australia because we are two democracies that share values together and we are confronting the roots of evil from all over the world. And we should do so together,” he added.

The visit to Bondi within hours of the president landing in Sydney with his wife Michal Herzog came with tight security. Police snipers were visible posted on Bondi roof tops.

Herzog will also visit Melbourne and the national capital Canberra before he returns to Israel on Thursday. Sydney and Melbourne are Australia’s largest cities and home to 85% of the nation’s Jewish population.

Protests were held in Sydney and Melbourne later Monday over how Israel has waged the war against the militant Hamas group in Gaza and treated Gaza's civilian population. Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the war.

Mainstream Jewish groups have welcomed the visit of Herzog, a former leader of the centrist Labor Party who now plays a largely ceremonial role.

The smaller Jewish Council of Australia community group ran full-page ads in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers on Monday, endorsed with the names of 687 Australian Jews, that said: “Herzog does not speak for us and is NOT WELCOME HERE.”

“We refuse to let our collective grief be used to legitimize a leader whose rhetoric has been part of inciting a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and has contributed to the illegal annexation of the West Bank,” the council’s executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.

Jewish leaders initiated the invitation extended by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Australia’s equivalent of Israel’s president, at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s request.

Albanese and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have been openly hostile toward each other since the Australian announced six months ago that his government would recognize a Palestinian state.

On Monday, Herzog said he welcomed the “positive steps” the Australian government had taken to tackle antisemitism since the Bondi attack, which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.

The Australian Parliament last month rushed through legislation that lowers the threshold requirements for groups to be banned for hate speech.

The government also announced its highest form of public inquiry, a royal commission, would investigate the nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism in general, as well as the circumstances of the Bondi shooting.

Herzog said he shared the frustrations of the victims' families that more had not been done to prevent such an attack on Australia's Jewish community.

“These frustrations were shared by many, many of us, including myself,” Herzog said.

“I’ve seen this wave surge all over the world, and I’ve seen it in many countries, including Canada, Great Britain, the United States, and Australia — all English-speaking countries,” Herzog added.

After the Bondi shooting was declared a terrorist attack, the New South Wales state parliament rushed through legislation increasing police powers to arrest protesters.

Police can restrict protests for two weeks at a time for up to 90 days following a declared terrorist attack. Police last week continued the restrictions for another two weeks in an effort to contain civil discord in Sydney during Herzog’s visit.

Still, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Sydney Town Hall on Monday afternoon — even though the Palestine Action Group organisers lost a court challenge to a police order preventing them from marching from the Town Hall to the New South Wales Parliament.

In Melbourne, thousands of protesters gathered outside downtown Flinders Street Railway Station, blocking evening peak-hour traffic.

Herzog said protests targeting him were mostly attempts to “undermine and delegitimize” Israel’s right to exist.

Israel's President Isaac Herzog, center right, visits Bondi Beach where the Dec. 2025 shooting took place, in Sydney, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Israel's President Isaac Herzog, right, and his wife Michal Herzog, second right, visit Bondi Beach, where a mass shooting took place in Dec. 2025, in Sydney, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Israel's President Isaac Herzog speaks during his visit to Bondi Beach where the Dec. 2025 shooting took place, in Sydney, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Israel's President Isaac Herzog, center, and his wife Michal Herzog, left, offer prayers at Bondi Beach where the Dec. 2025 shooting took place, in Sydney, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Israel's President Isaac Herzog, center left, and his wife Michal Herzog, center right, arrive at Bondi Beach for a memorial of the Dec. 2025 shooting victims, in Sydney, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Drake Maye was a dependable and steadying force for the New England Patriots this season. The second-year quarterback never got the chance to be that when his team needed him most in the Super Bowl.

Maye was the NFL’s most accurate passer during the regular season and finished second in MVP voting, but he was hounded by the Seahawks' “Dark Side” defense throughout. He threw two touchdown passes, but was sacked six times, had two interceptions and lost a fumble that led to a TD by Seattle in New England's 29-13 loss on Sunday.

“Definitely hurts," Maye said. “They played better than us tonight.”

Maye, who was limited in one practice during the bye week with a right shoulder injury suffered in the AFC championship win over Denver, said after the Super Bowl he received a pain-relieving injection before the game.

“I shot it up, so not much feeling,” he said of the shoulder. “It was good to go, and it felt all right.”

Maye didn’t think the injury affected his performance against the Seahawks.

“I wouldn’t put the team in harm’s way to not be myself,” he said. “Just didn’t make plays tonight.”

It was a humbling end for a team that seemed poised to recapture a little of the magic of the Patriots' run of six championships over two decades. Instead, Maye sat after the game with his head down, in grass-stained pants and tears welling in his eyes.

“Family travel all this way to watch us play. Don't ruin their night. Because it sucks and it hurts," Maye said.

Maye finished 27 of 43 for 295 yards and there were few highlights before he and the Patriots finally found some traction in the third quarter.

Left tackle Will Campbell gave up two of the sacks on Maye as the Seahawks sent several blitzes to his side of the line. According to Next Gen Stats, Campbell allowed 14 pressures, the most allowed by any NFL player in a game this season. But Vrabel said no one performance was responsible for the offense's lack of production.

“We can sit here and try to put in on one guy. You'll be disappointed because that will never happen," Vrabel said. “It starts with us as a coaching staff. ... That's never going to change."

Trailing 19-0 after his fumble set up a touchdown pass by Sam Darnold, Maye finally got some time to operate in the pocket and threw a 35-yard TD pass to Mack Hollins.

It brought some life to the Patriots' sideline.

But it was short-lived.

Maye’s pass intended for Kyle Williams was picked off by Julian Love. The Seahawks added Jason Myers’ fifth field goal on their ensuing drive.

Down 22-7, New England’s fate was basically sealed when Maye was picked off by Uchenna Nwosu, who returned it 45 yards for a score.

The Patriots, who came in averaging 18 points per game in the playoffs, were held to 331 total yards.

New England was denied a seventh Lombardi Trophy, which would have broken a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history. It was a thudding end to a Cinderella-like season for the Patriots, who finished the regular season 14-3 in coach Mike Vrabel’s first season — which came off back-to-back 4-13 finishes.

“Part of our identity is not being a front-runner,” Vrabel said. "Just like every year, somebody’s gonna lose this game, and we have to remember what it feels like.”

The Patriots fell into a 12-0 halftime hole and punted on eight of their first nine drives. It would have been seven straight, but the final one of the first half was a one-play kneel down.

The 51 total yards gained by the Patriots were the fewest in a first half in the last 35 Super Bowls.

“We couldn't gain any rhythm, any field position," Vrabel said. “Defensively, we were really good against the run and we weren't. We were just playing catch-up.”

It also marked the fifth Super Bowl without a touchdown in the first half. Maye also became first player to be sacked three times on the first four drives of a Super Bowl since Tom Brady in Super Bowl 42 against the New York Giants.

One of the reasons Seattle’s defense was so effective was it did a great job of keeping New England’s offense in long yardage situations on third down. The Patriots had to negotiate third downs of 9, 15, 17, 7 and 12 yards in the first half. They were only 2 of 7 on conversions in the first half.

The most emotion Maye displayed afterward was in thinking about the shortcoming of a group that won’t be the same next season.

“Had that sink in right now. Hopefully a lot of the same faces are here. The nature of the business I know it won't be like that,” Maye said, his voice cracking. “But, this team was awesome.”

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye walks off the field after a loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates with members of his team after a touchdown during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) makes a catch during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) escapes pressure from Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) causing a fumble during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) forces a fumble against New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) at the NFL Super Bowl 60 game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, February 8, 2026. (Adam Hunger/AP Content Services for the NFL)