Sydney hostage-taking

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The kidnapping of Sydney began the morning of December 15 2014 in the city of the Australian metropolis Sydney in a Lindt Chocolate Café .

The lone perpetrator Man Haron Monis entered the chocolate café on Martin Place and took 17 employees and customers hostage. 11 hostages escaped in the course of the event. Monis gave political motives. Some hostages had to hold a black banner with the Arab Shahāda against a window.

Because of the hostage-taking, numerous roadblocks were set up in the city center; the area around the scene of the event was closed, and nearby public buildings were cleared. 16 hours after the hostage situation began, the police stormed the café at 2:14 a.m. local time. Three people, including the hostage-taker, were killed in the hostage situation and four others were injured.

procedure

Hostage taking and negotiations

The Lindt Chocolate Café on Martin Place

The hostage-taking took place in the Lindt Chocolate Café at 53 Martin Place. Martin Place is Sydney's largest pedestrian street and the civic center. It began when, at 9:44 am local time, 50-year-old hostage taker Man Haron Monis drew a shotgun and declared that he was a representative of the Islamic State and that this was a terrorist attack. He said he had also hidden bombs in the building and that the 17 customers and employees in the café had to follow his instructions. He switched off the automatic mechanism on the café's sliding doors, and passers-by alerted the police.

Monis wanted to use the hostage situation as a media stage; he forced cafe employees to call TV and radio stations and submit his requests. He also forced four women to individually present their demands in front of a black banner with the Arab Shahāda , a video recording of which he published on YouTube . He was about to release five hostages for a radio-broadcast phone call with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott ; for the statement by the Australian government that this was a terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State, he wanted to release two more hostages. He also wanted to release an additional hostage when the flag of the Islamic State was handed over to him. The police negotiated with Monis, none of the demands were met. The video recordings of the hostages were quickly deleted on YouTube and not shown by the media; However, they reported live from the hostage situation.

Monis forced two hostages to hold the black banner with the Arab Shahada against a window. The banner was initially mistaken for the flag of the Islamic State . The hostage taker was described as bearded, wearing a white T-shirt and black cap, and armed with a rifle. According to several reports, Monis stated that he had placed four "devices" in the city area. A search yielded no result. The New South Wales Police described the event as a terrorist attack.

Some hostages escape

At 3:37 pm, two hostages escaped through the main entrance of the building; a third hostage, an employee, escaped through an emergency exit. At 4:58 p.m., two other female hostages, both employees, fled through another side entrance. One of the escaped hostages was hospitalized because of a pre-existing illness.

At 2:08 a.m. that night, a group of five hostages fled and another hostage followed shortly afterwards.

Storming

The cafe manager tried to wrest the gun from the 50-year-old self-proclaimed preacher when he seemed to be asleep around 2:00 a.m. After the hostage-taker then forced the manager to kneel on the floor and shot him in the back of the head, a police unit stormed into the bar using several stun grenades. Two hostages, the 34-year-old cafe manager Tori Johnson and the 38-year-old lawyer Katrina Dawson , as well as the hostage-taker died, four hostages and a police officer were injured. The mother of three Dawson suffered a "heart attack" according to some reports during the storm and died on the way to the hospital, while other sources reported that she tried to protect a pregnant colleague from gunfire and was fatally wounded in the process. A month and a half later, at a hearing at the New South Wales State Investigative Court, it was recorded that Katrina Dawson had been hit by ricochets from "fragments of one or more police bullets." Dawson quickly lost consciousness and died.

Actions and effects

A police cordon on Martin Place

The hostage-taking took place in the central downtown area on Martin Place , the largest pedestrianized street and commercial center of Sydney.

traffic

Because of the hostage-taking, local trains did not stop at "Martin Place" station. Transport New South Wales urged travelers to avoid the neighborhoods. There were numerous roadblocks. There was no access to the Cahill Expressway , York Street and Harbor Street from the south . There was also no access to the Cahill Expressway from the north, all traffic was diverted to the Sydney Harbor Tunnel . Traffic north to the Western Distributor was diverted over the Sydney Harbor Bridge .

The local car rental company Uber ruled that there was a minimum price of AUD 100 for trips out of town . However, after a wave of criticism, Uber announced that trips from Sydney city center were free, but the minimum price of AUD 100 for trips to the city center would remain in place to keep them attractive to drivers.

Evacuations

Shortly after the hostage situation began, people were evacuated from the upper floors of the building using ladders. The Sydney Opera House was evacuated after a suspicious package was found. The US Consulate in Sydney, located on Martin Place, has also been evacuated.

Police instructed residents not to go outside and to stay away from windows. The Commonwealth Bank , Westpac and ANZ closed their offices in the city center. The State Library of New South Wales was also closed. Numerous other buildings, including the branches of the David Jones Limited retail chain , offices of the New South Wales Parliament , the Downing Center and several judicial buildings, have been evacuated. The Seven Network buildings directly across from the café have been locked.

Several schools in Sydney were closed because of the hostage situation so no one could leave the school premises.

Reactions

Expressions of condolence at Martin Place

government

The Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott , convened the National Security Committee of Cabinet and was briefed on the situation. Abbott stated, "Australians can be assured that the judiciary and authorities are well trained, equipped and respond to events in a careful and professional manner." He later added, "The purpose of politically motivated violence is to attract people force them not to be themselves anymore. Australia is a peaceful, open and noble society. Nothing should ever change that, so today I urge all Australians to go about their business as usual. "

New South Wales Prime Minister Mike Baird said: “We are being tested today ... in Sydney. The police will be tested, the public will be tested, but we will tackle this test head-on and we will remain a strong democratic, civilized society. I have full confidence in the Police Commissioner and the excellent work of the New South Wales Police. "

Civil society

Concerned about possible anti-Muslim reactions, a grassroots movement called #illridewithyou was initiated on social media to support Muslims traveling alone in public transport if necessary.

Muslim organizations

Sanier Dandan, president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, told ABC News that Australian Muslim officials were meeting online to discuss an appropriate response. He said it was unknown whether the person in charge had any relationship with the Muslim community, adding, “Regardless of this, we have been held hostage. Regardless of whether it is someone who is part of the Australian Muslim community or not, we are waiting for information on the basis of which we will decide whether the Muslim community can do something or intervene in a supportive manner. ” Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, the Grand Mufti of Australia , condemned the act in a statement. During the afternoon of December 15, Muslims issued a statement condemning the crime.

Web links

Commons : Sydney hostage-taking  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sydney siege: Man behind siege named as Iranian cleric Man Haron Monis . In: ABC News , December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014. 
  2. ^ A b c Lindt Cafe hostage drama in Martin Place, Sydney: day two . In: The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  3. ↑ Live: Police negotiate with gunman after five people emerge from Lindt cafe during siege in Sydney's Martin Place . In: ABC News , December 15, 2014. 
  4. ↑ Sydney siege: Prime Minister Tony Abbott says gunman is 'claiming political motivation' , ABC News. 15th December 2014. 
  5. ↑ a b c d Police say they are in contact with gunman holding hostages in Sydney, Australia . In: news . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ Seven in 'lockdown' due to hostage crisis . In: NewsComAu . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  7. ↑ a b SYDNEY SIEGE: Here's What's Happening To The City As A Result . In: Business Insider Australia , December 15, 2014. 
  8. ^ Sydney cafe siege: Australia police storm building . BBC News. December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  9. ↑ A city's heart builds on a sense of place , Sydney Morning Herald , October 1, 2007
  10. ↑ a b c d e Ben Doherty: Hostages in the Sydney cafe siege: 'We're not getting out of here'. The Guardian, December 16, 2014, accessed December 16, 2014 .
  11. ↑ Sydney siege: What we do and don't know about hostage situation in Martin Place . In: ABC News , Australian Broadcasting Corporation, December 15, 2014. 
  12. ^ Police clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat Cafe . In: The Sydney Morning Herald , December 15, 2014. 
  13. ^ A b c "Lindt Chocolate Cafe Hostage Drama in Martin Place Sydney." Sydney Morning Herald . 15th December 2014.
  14. ↑ a b c LIVE STREAM: Sydney siege hostages 'huddled at one end of café' . In: 9news.com.au . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  15. ↑ a b Five hostages flee in terror from Sydney hostage drama . In: Gympie Times . December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  16. ↑ Martin Place siege being treated as terrorist attack, police confirm . In: Sydney Morning Herald , December 15, 2014. 
  17. ^ Press conference with NSW Police Chief Commissioner Scipione . In: ABC News , December 15, 2014. 
  18. ↑ Tagesschau, de accessed December 15, 2014 ( Memento from December 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  19. ^ The Telegraph of December 15, 2014: Victims of Sydney siege hailed as heroes after they die protecting hostages
  20. ^ The Daily Telegraph of December 16, 2014: Katrina Dawson was a barrister, friend and colleague of other hostages but most importantly was a mother of three young children
  21. ^ The Sydney Morning Herald of December 19, 2014: Pregnant Sydney siege survivor Julie Taylor says her unborn baby is healthy
  22. ↑ news.com.au of December 19, 2014: Sydney victories: Julie Taylor pays tribute to Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson
  23. ^ Transport status alert - transportnsw.info . Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved December 15, 2014. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.transportnsw.info
  24. ↑ Sydney siege: Martin Place Lindt cafe hostage situation leads to road closures and transport diversions . In: ABC News . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  25. ^ Brian Ries, Jenni Ryall: Uber introduces surge pricing in downtown Sydney during hostage siege . Mashable. December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  26. ↑ Police have evacuated people trapped in the buildi ... - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  27. ↑ Sydney Siege: Up To 20 Hostages Held - Reports . In: Sky News . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  28. ^ US Consulate in Sydney near hostage cafe crisis evacuated, security warning issued . In: The Straits Times , Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014. 
  29. ↑ NSW Police on Twitter . In: Twitter . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  30. ↑ a b c d Live blog: Victories in Sydney's Martin Place . In: ABC News , December 15, 2014. 
  31. ↑ State Library of NSW on Twitter . In: Twitter . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  32. ↑ Police clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat Cafe ( Memento of the original from December 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / smhcom.freetrialoffer.us
  33. ↑ Seven in 'lockdown' due to hostage crisis . December 15, 2014.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.theaustralian.com.au  
  34. ↑ Abbott reassures Australians over Sydney victories . In: ITV News . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  35. ^ Incident in Martin Place, Sydney . In: Prime Minister of Australia Media . Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved December 15, 2014. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / forums.pmc.gov.au
  36. ^ Five Hostages Flee Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney, Australia . In: NBC News . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  37. ^ Premier and Commissioner address the media re: Martin Place police operation . In: YouTube . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  38. ↑ #illridewithyou: Twitter sprouts anti-Islamophobia campaign , news.com.au . 15th December 2014. 
  39. ↑ Martin Place siege: #illridewithyou hashtag goes viral , Sydney Morning Herald . December 15, 2014. Accessed December 15, 2014. 
  40. ↑ #illridewithyou: support for Muslim Australians takes off following Sydney siege . In: ABC News , December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014. 
  41. ^ Post Publishing PCL .: Sydney hostage crisis: Live Report . In: http://www.bangkokpost.com/ . Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  42. ↑ Sydney hostage crisis: Live Report - Business Insider . In: Business Insider . December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  43. ↑ Sydney Hostage Crisis: Major Police Operation Unfolding . In: TIME.com . Accessed December 15, 2014. 

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