Christchurch mosque shooting: Black Power issues haka ‘challenge’ to white supremacists

New Zealand’s notorious Black Power gang has performed an emotional haka challenge outside Linwood mosque, saying they would not hide their colours as white supremacists do.

New Zealand’s notorious Black Power gang has performed an emotional haka at the police cordon to the Linwood mosque, saying — unlike the white supremacist gunman allegedly behind the mass murder — they would not hide their colours.

About a dozen members of the gang broke the solemn silence at a flower vigil point for locals, to perform the ceremonial Maori challenge which received rousing applause.

A spokesman, who declined to be named, said everyone was grieving the murder of 50 people regardless of skin colour or religion.

A Black Power spokesman, who declined to give his name, outside the Linwood Masjid Mosque police cordon. Picture: Charles Miranda

“There are no words that can explain the hurt of the people,” he said.

“Even though people call us a gang and what not, we live in this community together and it has just brought everyone together, it doesn’t matter what you wear or what colour your skin is, or what you stand for, your religion, it’s just brought everyone together like the earthquakes.

“We love this city and I think and it’s a shame it needs a disaster to bring our people together.”

He added New Zealand’s black power movement members knew what they stood for but some white people didn’t.

“That (white power extremism) has been here for years, it’s been here for decades, every respect for a person who shows who they are but others hide behind something. Those are the people you have to be aware about and careful about because they do not express how they feel, they just blow up and something like this is the result.”

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Black Power member Shane Turner said it was a sad day for all. Picture: Charles Miranda

One of the haka dancers and gang leaders Shane Turner said the action was a reflection of what everyone felt.

“It is sad today and going to be sad tomorrow and this is about the only time we can all be together collectively,” he said.

“We just wanted to transfer our mana (honour/respect) to the people who are suffering, strengthen them, give them something so they can hang in there and get through.

“We can’t blame anybody, it’s not in my mind to do that, we will leave that up to the white people to handle it, we stay out of that and just do what we can to accommodate the Muslim community.

“Black Power is an organised group and we suffer just along like everybody else does, like the earthquake like everything that comes along we are part of the Christchurch community too.”

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Crusaders horses provide the pre match entertainment during the match between the Crusaders and the British & Irish Lions at AMI Stadium on June 10, 2017 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Picture: Getty

CRUSADERS MAY CHANGE NAME

Famed Super Rugby club Crusaders are considering a name change in the wake of the Christchurch massacre.

A statement issued tonight (Sunday) by the Crusaders stated the club understood the concerns in the country about their name.

“For us, the Crusaders name is a reflection of the crusading spirit of this community,” a club statement read.

“What we stand for is the opposite of what happened in Christchurch on Friday; our crusade is one for peace, unity, inclusiveness and community spirit.

.”In our view, this is a conversation that we should have and we are taking on board all of the feedback that we are receiving. However, we also believe that the time is not right now.”

Those conversations, the statement said, would include the local Muslim community.

Prior to the statement issued, Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge told TVNZ that the club would have a discussion about what to do next.

Crusader players at Christchurch Stadium. The team is considering changing its name because of its co-option by white supremacists. Picture: Getty

“There’s a lot of emotion going around in terms of conversation at the moment,” Mansbridge said. “We’ve heard it, we’ve heard the feedback, and we do want to have a conversation about it.”

He added emotions were “raw” for all.

“I would say we are in a state of shock. We will acknowledge the feedback that we have had. It is appropriate. But rugby, in the context of what has happened, it is pretty hard to elevate this conversation right at the moment.”

When Super Rugby started in 1996 the Crusaders were one of five teams to be formed in New Zealand and went on to become the most successful club in the competition’s history, winning nine titles.

In history, the Crusades were conflicts between Christians and Muslims in the medieval period starting around 1095 and claiming millions of lives.

A special service at the Transitional Cathedral in Christchurch for the victims of the massacre. Picture: Charles Miranda

CATHEDRAL BECOMES A FOCAL POINT

The cardboard church that became the symbol of the recovery of Christchurch after the devastating 2011 earthquake has again become the focal of sorrow for the grieving city.

A special service was held at the so-called Transitional Cathedral for all those touched by the massacre, regardless of denomination.

The Very Reverend Lawrence Kimberley, Dean of the Transitional Cathedral, had hoped to conduct a large outdoor service but for security fears police had the event cancelled.

Instead hundreds of locals gathered at the unique cathedral, made of cardboard and local woods, to express their grief as special prayers were offered to the dead and injured.

Reverend Dean Lawrence Kimberley speaks with a member of his congregation after a service at the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral.

Rev Lawrence said in consultation with his bishop they would also offer the space for local Muslims to conduct prayers as the two mosques at the centre of the tragedy are closed indefinitely.

“We are open to let Muslims use our space to come together and pray should they need it, it hasn’t been easy to open a good channel of communication because they are all in a state of shock, preparing to bury their dead and need space to do that,” he told News Corp Australia. “But it is an offer we are making. The service today was for everyone to express hope and compassion … it has been a difficult 48 hours, Friday extremely difficult, everyone is really distressed, lots of tears.”

Flowers and messages are places on the steps of the Kilbirnie Mosque in Wellington.

He said he had put in a lot of time preparing emotionally for the Sunday service.

“These sort of services carry a lot of emotion, people come here feeling distress … people are fragile, people here in tears, there is a feeling of disbelief.”

The cathedral was build after the earthquake which killed 185 people and devastated large parts of the city.

A tower at the neo-Gothic Cathedral collapsed and the whole structure “cracked like a plate”. So the cardboard cathedral was built nearby as the other is rebuilt.

Originally published as Christchurch mosque shooting: Black Power issues haka ‘challenge’ to white supremacists