My heart is heavy with grief today with the devastating heatbreaking news that an Alt-right terrorist attack in New Zealand’s Christchurch has left 49 people dead and at least 48 wounded. The attacks occurred at two locations: Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque, which are approximately three miles apart.
Another set of lives, and families, tragically destroyed by an ideology of visceral hatred. The depravity of the killer is only underlined by the fact that he live-streamed the attack.
According to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, 41 people have been killed at Al Noor and another 7 perished at Linwood Mosque, another died at Christchurch Hospital, while dozens of victims are being treated for gunshot wounds at various local hospitals.
The New Zealand Police are reporting that four people, three men, and one woman, have been taken into custody in connection with the attacks. None of the suspects were on security watch lists but all hold extremist views. One of the gunmen posted live footage on social media of the attack as it unfolded. It appears that the camera was strapped to his head.
The individual who posted the videos online tried to cloak himself in the façade of normality, describing himself as “just a ordinary White man.”
In fact, he was a self-confessed “eco-fascist”. He praises Oswald Mosley and the Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011.
Shortly before the attack he, like his hero Breivik, posted a document online that used stock phrases from the alt-right to justify the murders. He talked of “white genocide” and cited spurious statistics about birth rates to explain away the savagery of his actions. As if anything could justify such mass murder. The document is called the “Great Replacement”, a phrase widely used in Generation Identity circles, a network close to British far right figures such as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Tommy Robinson).
Hope not Hate chif executive Nick Knowles, said the killers motives were clear:
“The bloody terrorist attack in Christchurch was carried out by a far-right activist who has published a manifesto explaining why he did it. It is full of praise for other anti-Muslim activists and ideas. This is where the ideologies of visceral hatred end up.
“The terrorist’s manifesto uses the stock phrases of the alt-right to justify murder, talking of ‘white genocide’ and citing spurious statistics about birth rates to explain away the savagery they have inflicted on people simply engaged in practising their faith…
“The attacker’s manifesto specifically says he wanted to ‘incite violence [and] retaliation’ against Muslims.”
Violence, terrorism and murder are part and parcel of his rationale. Through his murders, he wanted to “mobilise a race war and revolution.” https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/
Mike Bush, New Zealand’s police commissioner, has warned people to stay away from mosques this Friday and for mosques to close their doors until further notice, according to the New York Times.
The country has been placed on its highest security threat level.
In these dark sad times we must offer our full assitance to the Muslim community, condemning this abhorent crime srongly. This attack is a sobering reminder that the threat of far right political and religious violence is real and that we must remain vigilant against it.We must with our friends continually stand united in solidarity against the scourge of hate and intolerance and challenge the racism and policies that feeds these attacks.
