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Extremism must be defeated, prince tells New Zealand mosque survivors
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, April 26, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – In an emotional
meeting with survivors of the New Zealand mosques massacre, Britain’s Prince
William appealed Friday for “extremism in all forms” to be defeated.
About 160 people gathered at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch to meet the
prince who had earlier told first responders to the March 15 carnage that
when “a good friend” is in need “you travel to their place and you put your
arms around them.”
Six weeks to the day from when a self-styled white supremacist killed 50
people and wounded just as many in two Christchurch mosques, the prince said
he stood with the people of New Zealand, the people of Christchurch and the
Muslim community.
“An act of violence was designed to change New Zealand, but instead, the
grief of a nation revealed just how deep your wells of empathy, compassion,
warmth and love truly run,” the prince said after arriving at the mosque from
a meeting with hospital staff who had tended to the wounded.
“In a moment of acute pain, you stood up, and you stood together. In
reaction to tragedy, you showed something remarkable.
“I stand with you in gratitude to what you have taught the world in these
past weeks. I stand with you in optimism… I stand with you in grief. I will
support those who survive.
“May the forces of love always prevail over the forces of hate… Extremism
in all forms must be defeated.”
As armed police stood guard outside the mosque and a police helicopter
circled overhead, the prince was welcomed to the mosque by the Imam Gamel
Fouda, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and attack survivor Fahid Ahmed whose
wife was among those killed.
Ahmed, who became the face of the Muslim community when he said he loved
and forgave the gunman, told the prince: “We have to keep up hope and not
surrender to hatred”.
When William arrived in the country on Thursday he made an unannounced
visit to the Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland where he met with five-
year-old Alen Alsati and her father, Wasseim, who were both injured in the
March 15 attack.
In a touching video released by Kensington Palace, Alen, who only woke from
a coma early this week, asked William: “Do you have a daughter?,”
“Do I have a daughter? Yes, she’s called Charlotte… she’s about the same
age as you,” William replied.
He flew to Christchurch later in the day to meet with police and medical
officers who were first to the scene of the carnage, telling them they did
“an incredible job on a very bad day.”
William — who also visited Christchurch just weeks after the devastating
February 2011 earthquake which claimed 185 lives — will end his brief visit
later Friday when he lays a wreath at the earthquake memorial site.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0808 hrs