Christchurch comes together to mark the anniversary of mosque shootings
● New Zealanders remember in small ways after arena event is cancelled
People in the New Zealand city of Christchurch honoured the 51 worshipers who were killed in a mass shooting a year ago in small but poignant ways, yesterday after a planned national memorial event was cancelled due to fears it might spread the coronavirus.
Outside the Al Noor mosque, dozens of leather-clad bikers from the Tu Tangata club performed a traditional Maori haka.
They were welcomed by mosque imam Gamal Fouda, who said people of all beliefs and cultures were stopping to pay their respects, and they were all united as New Zealanders.
One of those who survived the shooting at the Linwood mosque was Mazharuddin Syed Ahmed, who said that marking anniversaries was not typically a Muslim tradition but they were doing it so the wider community could grieve and remember.
He said the shootings had provoked an outpouring of love and compassion.
“Of course, we lost our loved friends, family, people and community,” he said. “But we are also seeing so much good has come out of it, so looking at the positive part of that.
“Today, it is such a privilege to be in this country.”
Temel Atacocugu, who survived after being shot nine times at the Al Noor mosque, said the anniversary had provoked strong feelings.
“We are sad more than we are angry,” he said. “It’s very emotional. When I woke up this morning, I’m speechless. I can’t explain what I feel.”
Mr Atacocugu spent a month in a hospital and underwent four operations that included bone and skin grafts. He’ll need at least three more surgeries in the months to come.
Hesaysthewaythatnewzealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and people throughout the country came together in unity after the shooting showsthegunmanhasalready failed in his quest to sow division. Hate, he says, has lost and love has won.
“As a human, yes, I’m so angry,” Atacocugu said. “But also, deep of my heart, my religion makes me calm down and be patient.
“So I know the New Zealand law system is going to punish this man, this terrorist, as much, as high as can be possible, under the law.”
Ms Ardern said on Saturday the decision to cancel the memorial event planned for Horncastle Arena was pragmatic and precautionary.
New Zealand has had eight confirmed cases of Covid-19. All of those cases have been connected to people returning from abroad and so far there haven’t been signs of a local outbreak.