December 15, 2024, marks the tenth anniversary of the tragic siege at Sydney’s Lindt Café, where two hostages lost their lives and the scars of that harrowing day still affect survivors and first responders.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reflected on the anniversary in a statement, saying,
“We particularly hold on to the memory of Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson, who never went home again. This morning in Martin Place, we laid down hydrangeas and sunflowers – their favourite flowers.”
Albanese continued,
“Our thoughts are with their families, some of whom joined us today, and with all those whose lives were touched by this horrendous ordeal. We ache for all who loved them and, as we mark this saddest of anniversaries, we hold them all in our hearts.”
The attack, carried out by self-styled Islamic State supporter Man Haron Monis, saw 18 people taken hostage at the café.
After a tense 16-and-a-half-hour standoff, Monis killed café manager Tori Johnson, 34, and barrister Katrina Dawson, 38, who was struck by fragments of police bullets. Their deaths remain a painful reminder of the event.
Ben Besant, a Tactical Operations Unit officer who stormed the café and killed Monis, has since been advocating for a national trauma inquiry for first responders. He believes the inquiry would provide better support for those dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a challenge he knows all too well.
“It has been very important to me to get my name back,” Besant said in a recent interview.
“I want to share my story, not only what happened on the day, and the brave actions of every TAU officer, but also to share my journey with PTSD and my method of going about fighting it. I want to get out there to help as many other PTSD sufferers as I can.”
Reflecting on the impact of the siege, former NSW deputy premier Troy Grant, who was on the ground during the event, told ABC:
“The siege profoundly changed the city’s innocence in a way, but the outpouring of love and grief and the sea of flowers that appeared in Martin Place in the days after proved that people would not be intimidated by would-be terrorists.”
The 2014 siege, which was broadcast live to the world, marked a turning point for Australian counterterrorism strategy. NSW Police adopted a more aggressive “shoot-now” approach following the siege, replacing the previous “contain and negotiate” strategy.
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