2 men arrested after pointing fake gun at synagogue-goers in Sydney

Two men have been arrested and allegedly charged after pointing a fake gun toward Jewish worshipers at a synagogue in Sydney’s Double Bay neighborhood, Australian media reports.

The reports say police were called to the scene at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday, as congregants at the Chabad synagogue were gathered outside after the end of Shabbat prayers.

Officers tracked and cornered the offenders’ car, found an imitation pistol which they took for forensic examination, and took the suspects, aged 22 and 25, to a police station for questioning, the reports say.

Cops took statements from people who had been outside the synagogue when the incident occurred.

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Two men are in custody in Sydney after a man in a vehicle allegedly pointed what appeared to be a firearm toward Jewish worshippers gathered outside Chabad Double Bay during Shabbat.

Police were called to Kiaora Road in Double Bay around midday, then tracked the… pic.twitter.com/wb7QBmxFYX

— TheJewishAlly (@TheJewishAlly) July 4, 2026

The synagogue’s Rabbi Yanky Berger tells congregants in an email after Shabbat that the suspects are “French nationals working as Uber Eats drivers,” who “have been charged with several offences.”

He says the fake firearm has been determined to be a water gun, and it was pointed toward the security guard who belongs to a local community security group (CSG).

“I want to reassure everyone that our CSG security team and NSW Police responded quickly and professionally. There is no ongoing threat, and we will keep the community informed should there be any further updates,” he says.

Double Bay is located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, not far from Bondi Beach, which in December saw an antisemitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah event that left 15 people dead.