The "Love Aotearoa, Hate Racism (LAHR)" rally in Auckland, New Zealand that was attended by over a thousand protesters on March 23, 2019, was streamed live on the Facebook page of Apna TV (New Zealand). Socialist activist Joe Carolan, co-founder of LAHR, said that the war in Palestine has "come home" because six of the victims of the Christchurch shooting had been refugees from Palestine. Ahmed Bhamji, the Fijian chairman of Masjid Umar, the Auckland-area mosque at which New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wore a hijab and spoke the same day, said that the Mossad and Zionist businesses in New Zealand helped the Christchurch shooter stay in New Zealand and buy the guns he used in the massacre. A man in the crowd interjected: "That's the truth! Israel is behind this!" Masjid Umar is affiliated with the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, of which Bhamji has been a committee member. Bhamji was also a member of Fiji's parliament. Apna TV's Facebook page says that it is "New Zealand's first and only 24/7 free-to-air Indian TV channel on Channel 36."
To view the clip of the rally on MEMRI TV, click here or below.
"Do You Think This Guy Was Alone?... Where Did He Get The Funding From?
Joe Carolan: "I want to invite my friend Fadi, who's been here many times when we've marched for Palestine. Unfortunately, that war has come home, because six of the people who lost their lives in Christchurch were refugees from Palestine."
[...]
Fadi: "Six Palestinians were killed in that massacre, and then a seventh died yesterday.
[...]
"Her son had only been in New Zealand for 6 months. He came here for a better life for his kids. A better future for his kids, for himself. And some coward that came from overseas denied him that."
[...]
Ahmed Bhamji: "I really want to say one thing today. Do you think this guy was alone? Do you think... I want to ask you: Where did he get the funding from? This guy has never worked in his life. According to reports, he comes from a very not well-to-do family from Australia. He has been to North Korea, he has been to Pakistan and stayed there for two years.
"He has been here for two years, in New Zealand. Tell me, what has he been doing here for two years? Where was he working? Where was he getting the money from? Was it from our [unintelligible]?"
"I Am Not Afraid To Say That I Feel That The Mossad Is Behind This... There Are Some... Zionist Business Houses That Are Behind Him"
Person in Crowd: "He's a spy..."
Ahmed Bhamji: "I have a very, very... I will not mince my words. I stand here and I say that I have a very, very strong suspicion that there is some group behind him, and I am not afraid to say that I feel that the Mossad is behind this."
Man in Crowd: "That's the truth! Israel is behind this! That's right!"
Ahmed Bhamji: "And not only them. There are some businesses houses, also, who are around... Zionist business houses that are behind him, and definitely... And I think when the investigations come through, we need to... The investigations need to look at that angle. Where did he get the money to buy all those guns?"
Person in Crowd: "Israel..."
Ahmed Bhamji: "Where did he get the money to be here for two years? This is a side that we need to have a look at."
