Bondi Junction Westfield reopens for ‘day of reflection’: Community gathers to mourn lives lost in Joel Cauchi’s stabbing horror

The mood was solemn at Westfield Bondi Junction on Thursday as NSW Premier Chris Minns and Karen Webb arrived downtown to leave a wreath of flowers.

The public waited alongside the media crew and Westfield security outside the mall entrance Thursday morning.

Around 11 a.m., people began walking quietly into the center to take the escalator to the fourth floor, where six large wreaths of white roses had been placed.

After just a few minutes, mourners had left several bouquets beneath the wreaths.

People stood in silence as three women placed a large bouquet of flowers together.

One of the women began to cry as she was led away from the monument by supporters.

Some mourners chose to write messages in a condolence book, while others walked silently through the shopping complex.

The mall remained eerily quiet all morning as the crowd wandered the floors.

They were encouraged to bring memorial pins with black ribbon to wear as a symbol of respect to remember the victims.

Lifeline counselors walked through the crowd to offer comfort, along with Salvation Army members and Red Cross volunteers.

Few visitors lived outside the shops where Cauchi caused his greatest massacre, or at the site where he was shot dead.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also arrived in Westfield and left a handwritten message of condolence.

Security guards, Westfield staff and police officers monitored the center.

Those taking photos with their cell phones generally pointed their cameras at the monument, rather than at specific crime scenes.

The mall will be open to the public from 11am to 5pm on Thursday to allow the community to pay their respects following the horrific stabbing on Saturday.

Six lives were lost at the hands of Joel Cauchi, 40, who ran through the center terrorizing shoppers armed with a large knife.

He was shot by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.

The six victims being honored are new mom Ashlee Good38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother of two Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27, and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

Community members can walk through the center on Thursday as an area is set up for flowers and wreath laying.

New music will be played in Westfield and a black ribbon will be shown on advertising platforms in its place.

Trading will return on Friday for stores that choose to reopen.

The NSW Premier said the victims’ loved ones had been “devastated” by the community’s support following the stabbing.

“They are overwhelmed that Sydney has rallied behind them and they feel like they are not alone,” he said.

“And they feel that there are millions of people in their corner and that can hopefully provide some comfort in a terribly dark period.”

Mr Minns said he had spoken to some of the first responders from Saturday’s attack.

He said community members had come forward to thank police officers and paramedics for their work.

‘On Saturday, the first paramedic was on scene after the shift was completed, he went to a pizzeria to order pizza for the whole shift. Before he had a chance to pay, a young guy took out his card and paid for the pizzas,” Mr Minns told reporters.

“When the paramedic asked for his name, he didn’t want to give it and walked out of the store.

“Silent gestures of decency to each other can hopefully be the hallmark of what has been a terrible week for New South Wales.”

One mourner, Rebecca Sommi-Fisher, said she came to Westfield Bondi Junction on Thursday to pay her respects to the victims, despite not knowing anyone involved in the attack.

“It’s my local and my community,” she said.

‘It feels so surreal to be here. It was so respectful there, everyone was quiet as if we were in a church.

“It’s a reminder of the goodness in the world.”

Ms Sommer-Fisher said she would hate Australia if it followed in America’s footsteps by allowing people to enter shopping centers through security gates because of access to firearms.

However, she said she was in favor of arming security officers with tools that can “stop people in their tracks,” such as pepper spray.

She continues to shop at Bondi Junction because she believes there is more good than bad in the world.

“I will definitely come back here again, this hasn’t changed anything,” she said.

‘That man was very ill. I don’t think there is anything to be afraid of; there is a lot of goodness here.”

The wake will take place on Bondi Beach on Sunday at 5.30pm.

Mourners walked silently through the mall paying their respects to the slain victims.

Advertising platforms showed a black ribbon and no music was played in the center.

Mourners were encouraged to bring a black ribbon to pin on their clothing as a sign of respect.

Australian women are swooning over a French hero who picked up a bollard and bravely took on the Westfield Bondi Junction knifeman on Saturday afternoon.

Damien Guerot was at the gym with fellow countryman Silas Despreaux when they came across the scene of a massacre.

Mr. Guerot picked up a retractable railing and confronted 40-year-old killer Joel Cauchi as he walked menacingly up an escalator.

A security guard who was stabbed in the stomach after bravely confronting mad knifeman Joel Cauchi during his stabbing spree has been given new hope by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he fights to gain Australian citizenship.

Muhammad Taha, a Pakistani migrant, was patrolling the fourth floor of the mall on Saturday afternoon when Cauchi began stabbing shoppers around 3:20 p.m.

The Prime Minister said he would like to thank Mr Taha for his courage and suggested his government could allow Mr Taha to reside in Australia permanently.

Long-term tenants will have their rent waived from last Saturday to Friday, according to Westfield Bondi Junction operator Scentre Group.

It comes after Saturday’s fatal stabbing that left six people dead, along with the attacker.

Shops are welcome to open for business on Friday.

Thursday is a day of reflection in the center, during which the shops are still closed.