Heavy police presence in Sydney for New Year's celebrations after Bondi attack

Thousands of heavily armed police officers are patrolling the streets of Sydney as people mark the new year - a rare and stark sight following the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

Some officers were carrying high-grade weapons as part of heightened security measures following the attack earlier this month, which targeted Australia's Jewish community and killed 15 people in what was the country's deadliest shooting since 1996.

New South Wales (NSW) Police said more than 2,500 police personnel would be on duty, with many of them armed.

New Year's Eve parties in the city will be paused at 23:00 local time (12:00 GMT) for a minute's silence to commemorate the victims of the attack, while the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be lit up by a white light to symbolise peace.

Sydney's celebration - with its iconic fireworks display - kicks off a chain of events, from Dubai, to London and New York.

In Sydney, hundreds of thousands of spectators flocked towards the city's harbour for the new year celebrations, while sailboats dotted the water to secure the best viewing spots for when nine tonnes of fireworks are set off at midnight.

As crowds congregated ahead of the display, NSW Police said they would be "actively patrolling roads across the entire state, in both marked and unmarked vehicles."

Squads of police armed with long-arm weapons were also out in force, Australian broadcaster ABC News reported.

Ahead of Sydney's celebrations, NSW Premier Chris Minns said police would be "out in massive numbers, in some cases carrying firearms and weapons that you haven't seen before".

"But we judge it absolutely necessary to send a clear message that we will keep the public safe and do everything we can to restore confidence as Sydneysiders go about enjoying the most beautiful city on earth," he added.

He acknowledged seeing police with big firearms and machine guns would be "confronting" for members of the public, who aren't used to seeing such sights on Sydney's streets.

"But I don't make any apology for that. We want people to be safe in our community," he said.

In a separate post on social media on Tuesday, Minns appealed to residents of the city to not let the "horrible criminal terrorist event" at Bondi change the way they live, as he called on people to "show defiance" and celebrate the new year.

Out among the crowds at Barangaroo's Observatory Hill, a close spot to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, was Hélène from Belgium.

She told the BBC people "cannot live in fear" following the attack.

Additional reporting by Harry Sekulich