Old footage recirculated in misleading Bondi Beach 'celebration' claims

Matthew Elmas December 19, 2025
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Posts on Facebook and X have linked the 2023 gathering to the Bondi attack Image by AAP FactCheck/X

WHAT WAS CLAIMED

A video shows Muslims celebrating the Bondi Beach attack. 

OUR VERDICT

Misleading. The video dates back to October 2023.

AAP FACTCHECK - A video purporting to show Muslims celebrating in Sydney after the Bondi Beach terror attack is actually old footage.

The footage is from a rally in Sydney posted by ABC News back in 2023. 

At least 15 people were killed and dozens were injured when two gunmen opened fire on people celebrating the Jewish festival of lights at Bondi Beach on Sunday, December 14, 2025. 

The claim is in a Facebook post featuring a video of an Islamic preacher declaring to the crowd that it is a "day of happiness and pride". 

A makeshift memorial at Bondi Beach
Fifteen people were killed in the terror attack at Bondi Beach. (Rounak Amini/AAP PHOTOS)

"The Muslims in Australia are smiling and happy about the Bondi massacre; they even lit fireworks to celebrate. They need to all be deported from every western country," the caption reads.

Overlay text on the video reads: "Imam in Sydney: I'm smiling!"

However, the video was filmed in 2023 after the October 7 attack on Israel.

The footage showing Sheikh Ibrahim Dadoun speaking in Lakemba in western Sydney on October 8 was posted by ABC News.

The footage created headlines at the time, with the prime minister among those to criticise the gathering. 

The prime minister speaking at a press conference
The rally was condemned back in October 2023 by the prime minister. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

"There's nothing to celebrate by the murder of innocent civilians going about their day," he told Channel 9.

Several X posts have shared the same video in recent days with the same false claims. 

"Islamists in Sydney celebrating openly the Chanukah massacre at Bondi Beach," one caption reads.

AAP FactCheck has previously debunked similar claims misrepresenting old footage of pro-Palestine rallies.

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Sources

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