Prince William reconnects with New Zealand Muslim community a year after mosque attacks
The royal joins in on a video call with survivors he met when visiting New Zealand in the aftermath of the 2019 mosque attacks.
Friday 15 May 2020 08:19, UK
Prince William has checked in on Christchurch's Muslim community a year after two mosque shootings claimed 51 lives.
The royal joined in on a Zoom video call with survivors he met when visiting New Zealand in the aftermath of the Al Noor and Linwood mosque terrorist attacks in March 2019.
The shooting was the deadliest in New Zealand's modern history, and the government responded by banning most semi-automatic weapons.
William spoke about grief and healing with Imam Alani Lateef and Imam Gamal Fouda from the mosques, members of the community including Farid Ahmad who lost his wife Husna in the attack, and representatives from the Muslim Association of Canterbury, and told them: "I stand here ready to help you."
The Duke of Cambridge asked how the killings were still being felt by the community today.
Community member Dahabo Ali told the duke she knows some families who are "still in shock" and that raw emotions have resurfaced following the gunman's guilty plea.
Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 29, is due to be sentenced after pleading guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism.
On the impact of the shootings on the younger generation, she added: "The youth are making Islamic identity normal so Islamophobia is something of the past rather than something continuing to fight every single day.
"People are continuing to not only feel safe but have their voices heard and being seen in New Zealand.
"I think with everything that happened we are being heard and seen and things are changing."
The duke told them: "I'm really proud of all of you, the whole community and the New Zealand government for how you have all dealt with such an atrocity.
"You are a role model for how something so tragic can be negotiated with the utmost grace and dignity."
William visited New Zealand in the aftermath of the attacks in April 2019 which he called a "cruel nightmare" and urged the world to "unite and fight the violent brand of extremism" that led to the deadly atrocities.
It was not the first time he had been to Christchurch after tragedy - he also visited the city after it was devastated by an earthquake in 2011, which killed 185 people.