Skip to main content

New Zealand Mosques Reopen 8 Days After Attacks.



Worshippers have returned to the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch for the first time since a mass shooting there in which dozens of people were killed.

The building had closed so police could investigate the attack but on Saturday small groups were allowed to return.

Fifty people were killed in shootings at two mosques on 15 March.

As the Al Noor mosque reopened, some 3,000 people walked through Christchurch on Saturday for a 'march for love' intended to honour victims.

Many walked in silence and some carried placards calling for peace and opposing racism.

"We feel like hate has brought a lot of darkness at times," said Manaia Butler, a 16-year-old student who helped to organise the march. "Love is the strongest cure to light the city out of that darkness," she said.

Most victims of the shooting, which New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern quickly denounced as a terrorist attack, were migrants or refugees and their deaths reverberated around the Islamic world.



Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, who visited the Al Noor mosque, said the attack assailed human dignity.

“This is a moment of deep anguish for all of us, all of humanity,” he said.

Police said they were reopening the nearby Linwood mosque, the second to be attacked during Friday prayers last week, as well.

New Zealand has been under heightened security alert since the attack with Ardern moving quickly with a new tough law banning some of the guns used in the March 15 shooting.

Ashif Shaikh, who was in the Al Noor mosque on the day of the massacre in which two of his housemates were killed and who came back on Saturday, said he would not be deterred.

“It is the place where we pray, where we meet, we’ll be back, yeah,” he said.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Say 'Hello' To Armless Bae, The New Queen Of Social Media!

Guyssssss!A new model is trending on social media. Her name is Ashley and in addition to modeling on Instagram, she’s also a student at North Carolina A&T. She's hot gorgeous, no doubt. BUT Ashley has an unusual feature – she was only born with one arm. But instead of that being a HANDICAP . .. it’s actually made her a lot more interesting. Here are her pics . . .

WWE Releases Hit Row, Tegan Nox, John Morrison, Drake Maverick, And More.

WWE has released 8 Superstars from their contracts. John Morrison, Top Dolla, Ashante Adonis, Isaiah Swerve Scott, Tegan Nox, Drake Maverick, Jaxson Ryker and Shane Thorne.

Iran's keeper Zohreh Koudaei accused of being a man.

  Iranian women's football team goalkeeper, Zohreh Koudaei, has been accused of being a man by the Jordan Football Association after she saved two penalties for a crucial win against Jordan.  As a result of these saves in a penalty shoot out which ended 4-2, Iran earned a place at the Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in the country’s history. The cup will take place in India in 2022.  Jordan FA is now asking for a gender verification check. Lol. Jordan FA President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein took to Twitter to share a letter to the Asian Football Confederation calling for an official investigation into the sex of Koudaei.