At Garbage's concert at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, December 14, Shirley Manson addressed the recent shooting in Sydney that targeted the Jewish community.

The attack at Bondi Beach, where hundreds had gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, left at least 11 people dead and 29 injured.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, characterizing it as an act of antisemitic terrorism.

During the show, Manson paused before performing the band's 1995 song "Queer" to speak to the audience about the tragedy.

She reflected on the current state of the world, describing it as increasingly frightening, violent, and intolerant, and emphasized that the best response is to show love and compassion toward one another

The singer emphasized that people should not let differences divide them, regardless of religion, skin color, gender, or sexual orientation.

According to Billboard, when a fan shouted "Free Palestine," Manson responded, "Of course. Free f—king Palestine too. Everybody deserves to live a life of love and have their children be safe. And so I'm sorry to bring things down, but I really thought it was important to mention what happened today."

Her comments drew strong applause from the crowd, highlighting the unity and empathy felt during the show.

Shirley Manson and Garbage Speak Out Against Violence

The Bondi Beach attack occurred in the early evening as families celebrated Hanukkah, NME reported.

Authorities reported that one of the gunmen was killed by police, while the second was taken into custody and is currently in critical condition.

Authorities also found an explosive device in one of the suspects' vehicles.

Garbage spoke out against the attack on social media, revealing that six of the band's family members had been at Bondi Beach just hours before the shooting.

In their post, the band strongly condemned the violence and shared their sorrow for the victims and their families.

The band wrote, "We must not allow this horror to be used to divide us. Let it remind us to stand closer and tighter with each other, with love, shared feeling, shared humanity, and for each other." They also urged those in Sydney to donate blood to help the injured.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called the shooting "a cowardly act of terrifying violence" that struck fear into the community and represented "some of our worst fears about terrorism in Sydney."

Originally published on Music Times

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