Christchurchs Muslim community will today hold private prayers to remember the 51 people killed in the terror attacks on the Masjid AlNoor and Linwood mosques two years ago today
Prime Minister on growing gang gun violence: It s going to take time to turn around
14 Mar, 2021 07:09 PM
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses the issue of gun violence two years after the Christchurch terror attacks. Photo / Jason Oxenham
NZ Herald
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted it is going to take time to turn around growing levels of gun violence, saying the recent rise is down to Australian deportee gangsters.
Ardern has addressed the issue of gun violence in New Zealand two years after the country was rocked by a mass shooting that claimed 51 lives and saw the Government ban certain weapons and launch a buyback scheme.
Christchurch s Muslim community will today hold private prayers to remember the 51 people killed in the terror attacks on the Masjid Al-Noor and Linwood mosques two years ago today.
Police were outside Al-Noor Mosque on Saturday as people gathered to remember the attacks two years ago.
Photo: AFP
The imam of Masjid An-Nur Gamal Fouda said today s prayers will be held at both mosques to remember those who lost their lives. Families will remember their loved ones in different ways, many will pay their respects today by visiting the graves of those who died. Saturday s service went very well, it was great to see so many families coming together again, the wider community provided so much support, he said.
All we can do is repeat our message that only love can heal us and make the world greater for everyone. I feel sad and peaceful at the same time, sad for those who have left us but grateful that we can all come together again to remember our loved ones and friends.
Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel said it took a while for the full horror of what had happened that day to sink in. I was at a student protest in the square when we were first told something had happened, by the time we got back to council a staff member came up to me and said the police have said there s been a shooting and at least 20 people have been killed.
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Abdelfattah Qasem was killed in the March 15 mosque attack just months before the birth of his grandson. Alsalfiti said watching her grandson grow had been a bright moment in two years of grief. She is based in Christchurch, but regularly talks to Elias in Melbourne on video calls. “For me, I look at my grandson and feel that Abdul is coming to life again,’ she said. “Elias starts some of his sentences with no’ and Abdul used to do the same thing. He has a strong sense of humour like Abdul, who was cheeky.”
John Kirk-Anderson/Stuff She said she would never stop grieving for her husband of 33 years.