![]() ![]() Mass shootings are rare in New Zealand, a country of around 5 million people, though there are an estimated 1.5 million guns in the country, or one for every third person. New Zealand is generally considered to be welcoming to refugees and immigrants. Last year, the prime minister announced the country would increase its annual refugee quota from 1,000 to 1,500 in 2020.įormer DW correspondent Clare Richardson tweeted that a memorial paying tribute to the victims and expressing solidarity with Muslim communities had sprung up in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. ![]() The victims in the attack were of many different nationalities, with people from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey among the missing, injured or dead. Mourners in Toronto, Canada, held a vigil for the victims of the mosque attacks Image: Reuters/C. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the shootings were not only an attack on Muslims, but also on New Zealand's tolerant society: "We share these values with New Zealand and we share their horror and condemnation of this attack."īoth Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the attacks and cited rising Islamophobia around the world.Ĭondolences and condemnation were expressed by Catholic leader Pope Francis, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, British Prime Minister Theresa May and the UN Security Council, among others. US President Donald Trump, who was referred to as "a symbol of renewed white identity" in the suspected attacker's manifesto, described the tragedy as a "horrible massacre" and expressed solidarity with New Zealand, while simultaneously downplaying the threat of rising white nationalism around the world. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the shootings "can now only be described as a terrorist attack" and called it one of New Zealand's "darkest days." She also vowed to reform the country's relaxed gun laws. Read more: Dylan Thomas' most famous poem misused in NZ terrorist's manifesto Australian police said the suspect had only been known to them for "minor traffic matters," and he had not been on the intelligence community's radar.The Australian government has confirmed the suspect is an Australian citizen.He had traveled around the world and lived sporadically in Dunedin, a town outside of Christchurch, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a press conference.Tarrant had legally purchased the weapons used in the attack, which included two semi-automatic rifles.In it, he identified himself as a white supremacist and a fascist and said he wanted to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. ![]() Before the attacks, Tarrant posted a 74-page manifesto on social media.Brenton Tarrant, the 28-year-old suspect, has been charged with murder.The suspect flashed an upside-down 'OK' signal, a symbol used by white power groups across the globe, in court Saturday Image: Reuters/M. They warned people not to go anywhere near mosques in the country. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |