Australian state poised to approve sweeping new gun laws, protest ban

Australia’s most populous state is set to approve sweeping laws cracking down on guns and giving authorities the power to ban protests after the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in decades.

Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in what authorities have said was an antisemitic terrorist attack.

Facing growing political pressure over the attack, state and federal governments have proposed changes to gun laws and a broad hate speech ban.

The government of New South Wales — where the shooting took place — has recalled its parliament to introduce what it called the “toughest firearm reforms in the country.”

The new rules will cap the number of guns an individual can own to four, or 10 for exempted individuals like farmers.

The legislation will also ban the display of “terrorist symbols,” including the flag of Islamic State, which was found in a car linked to one of the alleged shooters.

And it will give authorities power to prohibit protests for up to three months following a terrorist incident.

The reforms are expected to pass the upper house of the New South Wales parliament today or tomorrow.

State Premier Chris Minns says the laws will “keep the people of New South Wales safe.”

“Whether that’s on gun regulation in New South Wales, or secondly, changes to protest, in order to lower the temperature in Sydney,” he tells reporters.