Over 100 people came along to send our condolences to all those who lost loved ones and to pledge to fight the politics of hate with hope and love.
I was proud and privileged to speak alongside friends from the Muslim community, trade unionists and local politicians. I feel passionately about the need to call out racism and Islamophobia and to do all we can to challenge the politics of hate and the rise of extremism and the murder of innocents which result.
These are my words:
"The murder of innocent Muslim worshippers in Christchurch has been devastating. It was an act of hate, pure and simple, like many such acts we’ve seen over recent years.
Like most people I have gone through several emotional
phases
Feelings of deep sadness at the loss of life,
especially the children and young people who had their whole lives in front of
them
