介绍:
A massive outpouring of grief and sadness has been taking place today in Sydney, Australia for the victims of Monday's 16-hour siege which left three people, including two hostages dead.
CRI's Australia correspondent Wang Xiao has more.
A massive pile of flowers has been laid out in a make-shift memorial in Martin Place in downtown Sydney, close to the spot where Monday's tragic hostage taking played out.
Authorities have since identified the two hostages killed.
They are 34-year old Tori Johnson and 38-year old Katrina Dawson.
Johnson and Dawson were killed as part of a 16-hour siege at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, which ended early Tuesday morning when police, responding to reports of shots being fired inside the cafe, ended the standoff in an assault.
The hostage taker, an Iranian immigrant who police say was an Islamist extremist with a criminal history, was also killed in the assault.
The dramatic hostage taking, played out on live television throughout the day, has prompted an outpouring of emotion thoughout Australia.
Clair Brown was a close friend of one of the victims, Katrina Dawson.
"Katrina was our best family friend growing up and she was an amazing person she was just wonderful. We all miss her dearly. "
Initial reports are suggesting the two victims were killed by the attacker.
Witnesses say Tori Johnson attempted to grab the hostage-takers gun when he appeared to be falling asleep.
She failed, and was shot and killed.
Katrina Dawson was reportedly shot and killed while trying to protect her pregnant friend, who was a hostage as well.
Although this incident is not being characterized as a terrorist attack by the government, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott does admit hostage taker Haron Monis had a political motivation.
"Tragically there are people in our community, ready to engage in politically motivated violence. The events in Martin Place also show that we are ready to deal with these people professionally and with the full force of the law. "
The tragedy has also created a new call for unity among all Australians.
"You might have seen on social media on Facebook and things like that, it's basically that we don't buy into this thing. Muslims are not the problem. They are generally nice people and we're accepting of them and we're not going to succumb to racism and hatred because of this one single event."
For CRI, I'm Wang Xiao in Sydney.
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