Sydney Bondi Westfield shopping center reopens in tributes after stabbing

Sydney’s Bondi Westfield shopping center reopened on Thursday for the first time since police shot a man who killed six people with a knife on Saturday.

Operators of the Westfield shopping center, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the city’s iconic Bondi Beach, allowed residents inside to pay their respects to the victims, but the store remained closed and white floral tributes were placed on the second floor.

Many people cried as they walked through the halls, where ads on digital screens were replaced with black ribbons.

Authorities said normal trading would resume on Friday and a candlelight vigil would be held on the beach on Sunday to mourn the victims.

Vinny Jovanovski, 33, owner of the Glo Bar cafe on the mall’s fifth floor who witnessed the attack, said: “It wasn’t a good feeling walking through there and it obviously did take me back It brought back some memories. “But I mean, we had a lot of love and support from the community.”

Sydney, one of the safest cities in the world, suffered its second high-profile stabbing in three days on Monday after police said a teenager stabbed a bishop in the city’s west.

Police and family members said Saturday’s attacker, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, suffered from mental health issues.

Wearing shorts and an Australian National Football League jersey, he ran through a shopping center with a knife, stabbing six people to death and injuring at least 12 others before being killed by Inspector Amy Scott.

Some shoppers and staff at Sydney’s eastern mall tried to stop him, including Frenchman Damien Guerot, who became known as the “bollard man” after he blocked Couch with a pole while queuing. .

Martine Wachtenhein, 66, one of those who visited the mall on Thursday, fought back tears as she described how Couch came just three or four meters away from her and then Gero forced him back.

“I could have been one of the people stabbed,” she said, fighting back tears. “It would be great if I could send a message to that beautiful man – I want to thank him. I don’t think he realized the impact this had on me; thanks to him I was able to escape.”