We are devastated by the killings of 50 people, victims of a white supremacist terrorist in Christchurch, New Zealand. As more emerges about the lives cut brutally short, we mourn and offer solidarity to their families and communities.
The victims of this attack had all come together as part of a tight-knit community of people who represented much of the global diversity of the Muslim faith, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Syria and beyond. Some had fled war and poverty to build a new life of safety in New Zealand.
With this horrific attack, we reaffirm that we are bound together in a global community of solidarity, peace and justice. As we mourn together, we recommit to countering Islamophobia, xenophobia and bigotry wherever they emerge.
The white supremacist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hate behind this attack is a poison, and it spreads. Every policy that targets and demonizes particular communities – like Trump's Muslim ban – and every slur spewed or tweeted worsens this spread of hate. The proof of this is stark: the killer cited Trump "as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose," just before he carried out his massacre.
Our commitment to justice and accountability demands that we denounce the rhetoric and policies that fuel attacks like these. Today, we mourn with communities facing this unthinkable loss, and every day, we stand up for inclusion, rights and peace.
