Footage posted online shows two school-aged boys confronting a man who rode a horse along Bondi Beach while waving a Palestinian flag, in an episode that came a day after clashes between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups at the popular Sydney seaside.
The rider, identified in media reports as social media figure Ehtesham Ahmad, known online as "horsevibes," was filmed being told by one boy to "f*** off. Go away," while another called him "a f***ing weirdo" and said, "I feel bad for your horse." Mr. Ahmad can be heard telling the boys, "You're a little kid, have some respect. Educate yourself. Educate yourself," and asking, "Where is his mum?" New South Wales Police said officers spoke to Mr. Ahmad and issued a move-on direction, which he complied with.
Mr. Ahmad defended the ride in interviews, saying he had chosen a time and section of beach he considered less busy and that the horse was well trained. Speaking on ABC radio, he said he performed the public stunt to raise awareness of conditions in Gaza, saying: "The message was to free Palestine and to tell people and show people to go study about the genocide happening in Palestine." He said he had ridden horses on multiple Sydney beaches and that he went to Bondi at about 5:30 p.m. to avoid crowds.
The incident occurred after a paddle-out protest on Bondi Beach the previous day, when pro-Palestinian activists and counter-demonstrators clashed and police intervened to separate groups. NSW Police said they are continuing to investigate the confrontation between the groups that resulted in a tussle on the footpath adjacent to the beach. Video from the earlier clash captured heated exchanges, including a man calling pro-Palestinian demonstrators "terrorists" and others asserting, "This is our land, we don't come to Lakemba, don't come to Bondi."
The suburb of Bondi is home to a significant portion of Sydney's Jewish community, and local officials have documented a number of incidents, including graffiti and firebombing, tied to tensions since the October 7 attacks in Israel by Palestinian militant groups. NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned political violence and inflammatory rhetoric, saying it was "the opposite of what we need in Australia" and urging zero tolerance for such actions while acknowledging the right to protest.
Social media footage of the horse ride circulated widely, with some users praising the boys who confronted the rider and others criticizing the stunt. The Australian Jewish Association shared clips of the beach encounter on social accounts and described one of the boys as having "schooled" the protester.
Mr. Ahmad first gained viral attention in June 2024 after riding a horse through a McDonald's drive-through in Western Sydney. Police did not publicly allege criminal wrongdoing in relation to the Bondi horse ride beyond the move-on direction, and no arrests were reported in connection with the beach incident.
Authorities in New South Wales continue to monitor public gatherings related to the Israel-Palestine conflict, and police urged people to exercise their right to protest peacefully and within the law. Investigations into the weekend's clashes at Bondi and any related incidents remain ongoing.