Christchurch memorial: standing ovation for Ardern at New Zealand service
"...Terrible extreme right-wing terrorist act in New Zealand."
INSERT YouTube - Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam Performs At Christchurch Remembrance Service
Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison among estimated 20,000 attending national remembrance service near site of attacks
Charles Anderson
Thu 28 Mar 2019 22.12 EDT First published on Thu 28 Mar 2019 17.51 EDT
VIDEO - Jacinda Ardern tells Christchurch crowd: 'Racism exists but it is not welcome here' – 3:09
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/jacinda-ardern .. was greeted with a standing ovation as she took the stage to address a crowd of thousands gathered at Hagley Park for a nationwide remembrance service in honour of 50 people killed in the country’s worst terrorist attack.
An estimated 20,000 people attended the event, including Australian prime minister Scott Morrison .. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/scott-morrison .. and other heads of state from the Pacific. Also in attendance were survivors of the attack and those who lost loved ones, as well as musician Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, who performed at the event.
Thousands of people gathered at Hagley Park near Al Noor mosque, where the shooting took place. Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters
Farid Ahmed, who survived the Al Noor mosque attack but whose wife Husna Ahmed died, said when he is asked why he has forgiven the attacker, he says Allah loves those who “control their anger and pardon their fellow human”.
Her name was among the 50 read out by members of the Muslim community during a solemn part of the service.
Farid Ahmed said he wanted to offer his prayers for the people who were killed and also the people who survived. “I would like to honour you for your presence today ... I want to thank New Zealanders for coming together; for showing the world that New Zealand .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/newzealand .. is a peaceful country.”
Christchurch .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/christchurch .. mayor Lianne Dalziel told the crowd they all had a responsibility to question themselves about their own views and the “comfort we give to people who might harbour racist or hateful views”, adding: “We will not be defined by what happened on the 15th of March.”
President of the Muslim Council of Canterbury, Shaggaf Khan, said he was deeply saddened by the event but humbled by the outpouring of grief that followed.
Thousands attended the national remembrance service for victims of the mosque attacks. Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters
“That you did not leave us alone in our sadness. New Zealand responded in a way that none of us will ever forget – that let the world know who we really are.”
Before performing Peace Train, musician Yusuf Islam, said his heart went out to those affected and hoped the negative event would come to show the positives of the response.
“It’s only when good people stay sitting that evil rises ... we’ve seen the opposite in this country.”
The service was jointly led by the government, the City of Christchurch, local iwi Ngai Tahu and the Muslim community.
Large swathes of the city were sealed off for the event, with police saying much planning had gone into the service and that public safety was the priority. The national threat level is still high.
Hey asshole, didn't I point out to you that that is a Pence position? Too bad for you in particular that you can't 'pray away' the stupidity. Question, whom did Northam kill? Asshole in NZ, citing Trump for his clarity on nationalism, 50, Northam 0. https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=147873587
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