SBW tackles ‘racism, hatred’
All Blacks star and devout Muslim Sonny Bill Williams said he hoped the outpouring of emotion following the Christchurch terror attacks would pave the way for a ‘‘fight against hatred and hate speech’’.
Williams was among the 20,000 people who attended a mass gathering for Friday prayers in Hagley Park a week after New Zealand’s worst atrocity in recent history.
The rugby player arrived in the city on Thursday night and spent time comforting relatives of those injured in the attacks.
Williams said the prayers were ‘‘an amazing show of unity, show of peace, show of love’’.
Speaking to Stuff afterwards he said: ‘‘I think that’s what everyone wants. It just makes me proud to be a Kiwi. I’m a proud Muslim, a proud New Zealander, and that’s why I’m here. I’m here to show my respects but also to help and move forward. What does that look like? That looks like for me trying to eradicate racism and hatred and silencing those people that promote that.
‘‘I feel like Jacinda’s [Ardern] led the way and she’s started that process – now those conversations can really be had.’’
Since the attacks Williams has taken leave from playing for the Blues and missed last night’s match against the Highlanders.
Earlier this week, Williams announced on social media that he had partnered with the MATW (Muslims Around The World) Project to raise funds for victims’ families.
He has also praised the New Zealand public for the way they rallied around the Muslim community.
An estimated 15,000 non-Muslims attended the prayers to show their solidarity, an act Williams said offered great hope.
‘‘We thank you for your thoughts, your prayers. But then also we have to think about those that have really been affected by this and then we have to move forward.
‘‘That process, that road, is going to be hard to navigate but together we will do that. At the top of that list it needs to be a fight against racism, a fight against hatred and hate speech.’’
Meanwhile, polarising Australian sports star Anthony Mundine said he was ‘‘honoured’’ to be in the city after visiting victims of the mosque shootings in Christchurch Hospital.