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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/mar/20/new-zealand-shooting-jacinda-ardern-visits-christchurch-to-pay-tribute-to-victims-live
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| New Zealand shooting: first burials today as Ardern visits Christchurch victims – live | New Zealand shooting: first burials today as Ardern visits Christchurch victims – live |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The ABC’s Indonesia correspondent has this report of Winston Peters’ visit to Indonesia. | |
| In comments to Indonesian media, NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters makes it clear it was not a New Zealander who committed the #Christchurch terrorist attack pic.twitter.com/krsaQ9clCr | |
| A vascular surgeon who operated on a four-year-old girl who was critically injured in Friday’s Mosque attack wept while describing her condition to reporters in Christchurch on Wednesday afternoon. | |
| Dr Adib Khanafer, known in typical Kiwi fashion as Eddie, said he was completing another surgery when he was told he was needed in an emergency operation. | |
| Speaking through tears, Khanafer said he was “really sad to see a young girl on the table with vascular injury” but that repairing her injury was a “highlight of my career.” | |
| “I have four kids,” Khanafer said. “The youngest is 7, the oldest is 14, and I just imagine this was one of my kids. I was able to do my job and I left my emotions until after… after I had repaired her. | |
| “I am from England. I am a Muslim. And I am Arab. And all my colleagues, Kiwis, have not stopped emailing me, texting me, and sending me flowers.” | |
| The girl was transferred to Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland on Friday night, and her father, who was also in intensive care, was transferred to another hospital in Auckland on Saturday. | |
| Dr Dominic Fleischer, who was the lead clinician in the emergency department on Friday, said he did not expect to see a traumatic event like this in Christchurch. | |
| “I still expect the next big earthquake, but nothing like this,” he said. | |
| Fleischer said that only one of the 48 people who made it to hospital died after arrival. He commended all hospital staff for ensuring that patients received the best care available. | |
| “We never ran out of trauma teams,” he said. “No patient waited to be seen… everyone was seen as soon as they got to us.” | |
| Jacinda Ardern visits first responders - in pictures | |
| A man accused of sharing video of a massacre in New Zealand has been jailed by a judge until his next court appearance in mid-April. | A man accused of sharing video of a massacre in New Zealand has been jailed by a judge until his next court appearance in mid-April. |
| Philip Arps, 44, appeared in a Christchurch court Wednesday on two charges of distributing the killer’s livestream video of last week’s attack on Al Noor mosque, a violation of the country’s objectionable publications law. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. | Philip Arps, 44, appeared in a Christchurch court Wednesday on two charges of distributing the killer’s livestream video of last week’s attack on Al Noor mosque, a violation of the country’s objectionable publications law. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. |
| Arps, heavily tattooed and dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, hasn’t entered a plea. He remained expressionless during the hearing, his hands clasped behind his back. | Arps, heavily tattooed and dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, hasn’t entered a plea. He remained expressionless during the hearing, his hands clasped behind his back. |
| Judge Stephen O’Driscoll denied him bail. | Judge Stephen O’Driscoll denied him bail. |
| Charging documents accuse Arps of distributing the video on Saturday, one day after the massacre. | Charging documents accuse Arps of distributing the video on Saturday, one day after the massacre. |
| Arps owns a Christchurch business that had company vans emblazoned with neo-Nazi references. | Arps owns a Christchurch business that had company vans emblazoned with neo-Nazi references. |
| A few more responses from that press conference. | A few more responses from that press conference. |
| Ardern said that police officers, including the armed offenders squad, were the first to administer first aid to the victims. “You can imagine what they walked into,” said Ardern. “They had to secure an environment for StJohn’s to be able to enter into, first.” | Ardern said that police officers, including the armed offenders squad, were the first to administer first aid to the victims. “You can imagine what they walked into,” said Ardern. “They had to secure an environment for StJohn’s to be able to enter into, first.” |
| She also said that police response times to the incident and the time it took police to arrest the suspect were even faster than we have been told. | She also said that police response times to the incident and the time it took police to arrest the suspect were even faster than we have been told. |
| While Ardern said racism and extremism needed to be addressed in New Zealand and the rest of the world to stop another incident like this ever happening again, she repeatedly rejected suggestions that she has a duty to lead the world in the fight against the alt-right and extremism. Ardern says her first priority is New Zealand and caring for her people. | While Ardern said racism and extremism needed to be addressed in New Zealand and the rest of the world to stop another incident like this ever happening again, she repeatedly rejected suggestions that she has a duty to lead the world in the fight against the alt-right and extremism. Ardern says her first priority is New Zealand and caring for her people. |
| New Zealand journalist Toby Manhire urgently wants some answers from Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook’s role in the Christchurch tragedy. In an opinion piece – that first ran on the Spinoff – he writes: | New Zealand journalist Toby Manhire urgently wants some answers from Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook’s role in the Christchurch tragedy. In an opinion piece – that first ran on the Spinoff – he writes: |
| “More than four days on, then, the $64 billion question (that’s how much Mr Zuckerberg is reportedly worth) is this: what do you have to say for yourself, Mark? Seems you’re busy, and instead have dispatched an underling to do the thoughts-and-prayers and “committed to countering hate speech and the threat of terrorism online”. Sitting here in New Zealand, that’s nowhere near good enough.” | “More than four days on, then, the $64 billion question (that’s how much Mr Zuckerberg is reportedly worth) is this: what do you have to say for yourself, Mark? Seems you’re busy, and instead have dispatched an underling to do the thoughts-and-prayers and “committed to countering hate speech and the threat of terrorism online”. Sitting here in New Zealand, that’s nowhere near good enough.” |
| You can read the piece in full here: | You can read the piece in full here: |
| Mark Zuckerberg, four days on, your silence on Christchurch is deafening | Toby Manhire | Mark Zuckerberg, four days on, your silence on Christchurch is deafening | Toby Manhire |
| Ardern was asked several times about her personal response to the tragic events. She deflected a lot of the questions, seeming not to want to go into much detail on the subject. | Ardern was asked several times about her personal response to the tragic events. She deflected a lot of the questions, seeming not to want to go into much detail on the subject. |
| Journalist: Prime Minister, yesterday in your speech you talked about you never thought you would be a voice for a nation’s grief. I’m wondering, we’ve seen you obviously at these news conferences, you present a very strong front. As a human being, as a mother, can you tell us maybe one moment of this since Friday that has just been very, very difficult for you, or you had difficulty dealing with it? | Journalist: Prime Minister, yesterday in your speech you talked about you never thought you would be a voice for a nation’s grief. I’m wondering, we’ve seen you obviously at these news conferences, you present a very strong front. As a human being, as a mother, can you tell us maybe one moment of this since Friday that has just been very, very difficult for you, or you had difficulty dealing with it? |
| Ardern: I can’t tell you just one because, actually, there have been too many. | Ardern: I can’t tell you just one because, actually, there have been too many. |
| Journalist: Can you describe some of these moments that have just touched your heart for us? | Journalist: Can you describe some of these moments that have just touched your heart for us? |
| Ardern: Everyone in New Zealand and internationally is reading the same stories I read. And my response is no different. Yes, I have a role I need to play. I feel the grief, I hear the grief. But I also have a duty of care to the people involved in this to also keep going. And so if the imam who stood at the front of a mosque and saw firsthand the loss of his worshippers in front of him can keep going, then I definitely can. | Ardern: Everyone in New Zealand and internationally is reading the same stories I read. And my response is no different. Yes, I have a role I need to play. I feel the grief, I hear the grief. But I also have a duty of care to the people involved in this to also keep going. And so if the imam who stood at the front of a mosque and saw firsthand the loss of his worshippers in front of him can keep going, then I definitely can. |
| Later on in the press conference she was pressed again. | Later on in the press conference she was pressed again. |
| Journalist: Prime Minister, you mentioned that that at the high school this morning you were very sad. How are you fortifying yourself? | Journalist: Prime Minister, you mentioned that that at the high school this morning you were very sad. How are you fortifying yourself? |
| Ardern: As I said, if the imam who stood at the front and watched his friends and fellow worshippers continue on, then I absolutely can. I fortify myself by knowing I have a duty of care and a job to do. | Ardern: As I said, if the imam who stood at the front and watched his friends and fellow worshippers continue on, then I absolutely can. I fortify myself by knowing I have a duty of care and a job to do. |
| Journalist: Is this the toughest thing you have ever had to face? | Journalist: Is this the toughest thing you have ever had to face? |
| Ardern: Yes. | Ardern: Yes. |
| Journalist: On the issue of gun control, do you have anymore details on where that stands? Also, do you see whatever New Zealand has done as a blueprint to follow suit? | Journalist: On the issue of gun control, do you have anymore details on where that stands? Also, do you see whatever New Zealand has done as a blueprint to follow suit? |
| Ardern: “One thing I have to acknowledge is relative to other countries, not picking any one in particular, we have a large number of loopholes in our laws. Many New Zealanders would be astounded to know you can access military-style semiautomatics that you can here. | Ardern: “One thing I have to acknowledge is relative to other countries, not picking any one in particular, we have a large number of loopholes in our laws. Many New Zealanders would be astounded to know you can access military-style semiautomatics that you can here. |
| “My hope is that going forward, we will - we will - demonstrate what you can do if your starting point is similar to ours. We do have a road to travel though and I’ll be announcing further details very, very soon.” | “My hope is that going forward, we will - we will - demonstrate what you can do if your starting point is similar to ours. We do have a road to travel though and I’ll be announcing further details very, very soon.” |
| Journalist: Can you give us a sense of what’s happening behind the scenes? What has to happen before Monday and then before the end of next week to get the changes you want pushed through? | Journalist: Can you give us a sense of what’s happening behind the scenes? What has to happen before Monday and then before the end of next week to get the changes you want pushed through? |
| Ardern: “Just to give you a flavour, even in terms of the preparation that needed to occur before we met as a cabinet, these attacks, this terrorist attack, occurred on Friday. By Monday, as a result of, literally, policy workers working through the night, we had proposals for cabinet. | Ardern: “Just to give you a flavour, even in terms of the preparation that needed to occur before we met as a cabinet, these attacks, this terrorist attack, occurred on Friday. By Monday, as a result of, literally, policy workers working through the night, we had proposals for cabinet. |
| “Decisions were made and now those same individuals are working incredibly hard to work through the detail of what is required to make that a reality. | “Decisions were made and now those same individuals are working incredibly hard to work through the detail of what is required to make that a reality. |
| “I reflect, again, Australia, when they experienced a tragedy, a mass shooting in the 1990s, it took them 12 days. We will do it in less but only through extraordinary effort. | “I reflect, again, Australia, when they experienced a tragedy, a mass shooting in the 1990s, it took them 12 days. We will do it in less but only through extraordinary effort. |
| Journalist: Prime Minister, the NRA is reported to be involved in coming into New Zealand to lobby and be of influence in the process of the conversation around gun control. Can you confirm it for one thing and do you have any concern? | Journalist: Prime Minister, the NRA is reported to be involved in coming into New Zealand to lobby and be of influence in the process of the conversation around gun control. Can you confirm it for one thing and do you have any concern? |
| Ardern: “No, I haven’t heard that, actually. But, do you know, I think - I’ve said from the very outset, that it is my belief that those who are currently the holders of both gun licences and guns, I believe they will be with us. | Ardern: “No, I haven’t heard that, actually. But, do you know, I think - I’ve said from the very outset, that it is my belief that those who are currently the holders of both gun licences and guns, I believe they will be with us. |
| “I’ve already seen some commentary from individuals who are gun holders and gun - hold gun licences that very much indicate that they absolutely acknowledge something needs to change. | “I’ve already seen some commentary from individuals who are gun holders and gun - hold gun licences that very much indicate that they absolutely acknowledge something needs to change. |
| “Now, again, you know, there is legitimate gun use in New Zealand and we absolutely acknowledge that, but I would say almost all New Zealanders, except perhaps those who use them, will acknowledge that there isn’t and should not be a place for military-style semiautomatics. | “Now, again, you know, there is legitimate gun use in New Zealand and we absolutely acknowledge that, but I would say almost all New Zealanders, except perhaps those who use them, will acknowledge that there isn’t and should not be a place for military-style semiautomatics. |
| Ardern was asked several questions about Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s comments, in which the Turkish president said people coming to Turkey with anti-Muslim views would be sent back in coffins like their grandfathers – a reference to the battle of Gallipoli in the first world war. | Ardern was asked several questions about Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s comments, in which the Turkish president said people coming to Turkey with anti-Muslim views would be sent back in coffins like their grandfathers – a reference to the battle of Gallipoli in the first world war. |
| Ardern’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters is travelling to Turkey to discuss the subject with Turkey’s leaders. | Ardern’s deputy prime minister Winston Peters is travelling to Turkey to discuss the subject with Turkey’s leaders. |
| Journalist: Is it appropriate for our Foreign Minister to be travelling at the time given the comments made by President Erdogan? | Journalist: Is it appropriate for our Foreign Minister to be travelling at the time given the comments made by President Erdogan? |
| Ardern: As I’ve said, he is going there to set the record straight. That is an opportunity that he should take up. Now, we have to make sure that what is reflected is an accurate portrayal of New Zealand and New Zealanders. Indeed, of our Muslim community as well. And that is his intent. | Ardern: As I’ve said, he is going there to set the record straight. That is an opportunity that he should take up. Now, we have to make sure that what is reflected is an accurate portrayal of New Zealand and New Zealanders. Indeed, of our Muslim community as well. And that is his intent. |
| Asked if she shared Australian prime minister Scott Morrison’s views that the comments were “deeply upsetting”, Ardern said: “As I said, our Deputy Prime Minister will be confronting those comments in Turkey. We had a delegation from the Turkish Government to bring a message of solidarity to New Zealand and to those affected by the attack.” | Asked if she shared Australian prime minister Scott Morrison’s views that the comments were “deeply upsetting”, Ardern said: “As I said, our Deputy Prime Minister will be confronting those comments in Turkey. We had a delegation from the Turkish Government to bring a message of solidarity to New Zealand and to those affected by the attack.” |
| Later in the press conference a journalist returned to the subject, saying: “You must be offended that this is being used as a political tool in Turkey?” | Later in the press conference a journalist returned to the subject, saying: “You must be offended that this is being used as a political tool in Turkey?” |
| She says: | She says: |
| I do not accept - I do not accept - that we will see the long-term change in our relationship. It is so deeply entrenched. They cared for our fallen. Hundreds and thousands of New Zealanders have made pilgrimages to that place as an acknowledgement of what ties and binds our countries. And so I reject the idea that we are losing that relationship, or will lose that relationship. But for now, you’ll appreciate that given that my Deputy Prime Minister is travelling there, that, actually, where this conversation will happen will be face-to-face. | I do not accept - I do not accept - that we will see the long-term change in our relationship. It is so deeply entrenched. They cared for our fallen. Hundreds and thousands of New Zealanders have made pilgrimages to that place as an acknowledgement of what ties and binds our countries. And so I reject the idea that we are losing that relationship, or will lose that relationship. But for now, you’ll appreciate that given that my Deputy Prime Minister is travelling there, that, actually, where this conversation will happen will be face-to-face. |
| And the press conference is over. We’ll have some key quotes from it shortly. | And the press conference is over. We’ll have some key quotes from it shortly. |
| A journalist asks if this is the toughest thing Ardern has ever had to face. | A journalist asks if this is the toughest thing Ardern has ever had to face. |
| She replies: “Yes.” | She replies: “Yes.” |
| Jacinda Ardern says they need to ensure they create an environment where racist ideology cannot flourish and that is something she will put her mind to in coming months. | Jacinda Ardern says they need to ensure they create an environment where racist ideology cannot flourish and that is something she will put her mind to in coming months. |