Thousands came to pay their respects to the people affected by the Christchurch terror attack. Video / Leon Menzies
Debate has raged on over whether an Auckland vigil for victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks on Friday evening that tackled topics of racism and colonialism was "too political" or "too soon".
Thousands attended the vigil for the 50 Muslim worshippers killed and dozens injured in the Christchurch mosque attacks, and heard Muslims and tāngata whenua pay tribute while also covering experiences of everyday racism, and New Zealand's white settler history.
One elderly Auckland man of Ngāi Tahu descent, said he attended the vigil with his Muslim wife. They left early "in disgust" though, believing the occasion had been "hijacked by groups with political agendas".
He said he agreed the country had not been "as welcoming as we could have been", but Friday was not the time for that discussion.
"Once the country is further through the grieving process we should certainly go through a critical self-examination so that we can better understand the root causes of the tragedy if for no other reason than to attempt to ensure it never happens again."
A Pākehā man, who had been working with victims in Christchurch following the attacks, said he and his family were seeking the solidarity they saw elsewhere in the nation.
He didn't disagree with the content of the speakers, rather the timing.
"I just think they got the timing to take that leap into the discourse wrong. To do it, but not that night. It was a vigil for the victims. It was Aucklanders' time to show support."
One woman, who identified as Pacific Islander, said she went to the vigil "to be one and unite".
"No disrespect to the vigil, but my heart that night was for the 50 who passed and those who [are] still fighting for their lives."
Oliver Hoffman said most of the speeches were "brilliant and very emotional", while later on they became more "political and attacking".
"I strongly doubt that those to whom those attacks were directed would have attended such an event.
"We had come to express our sorrow that something like that could happen in New Zealand."
The event was jointly-organised by Migrants Against Racism and Xenophobia (MARX), Racial Equity Aotearoa, Shakti NZ, Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga and Auckland Peace Action.
AUT students Levonne Heka, Summer Tomai and Vaivasa Ualesi at the Auckland Domain vigil on Friday. Photo / Cherie Howie
MARX member Mengzhu Fu said the reasons why the massacre happened were "political", and it did not happen in a vacuum.
"The only 'political agenda' we were pushing was for racist violence and discrimination to stop, for white supremacist terrorism to end, and for peace and justice in Aotearoa and globally."
Speakers were expressing their "honest and raw responses" to what happened.
"It is disrespectful to walk out on Muslim speakers who were mourning in their own way, trying to make sense of what happened, and demanding change so that this may never happen again," Fu said.
"If this massacre cannot wake us up to the reality and brutality of Islamophobia and white supremacy, I don't know what will.
"If some people felt this was not the 'right time or place', we want to ask, when is? Next week? In two months? A year? Until the next white supremacist terrorist attack happens?"
Despite the people who left, Fu said thousands more stayed right until the end.
"We want to appreciate all those who listened and grieved with us.
"We chose to centre Muslim voices, we chose to centre tāngata whenua voices. We chose to centre the voices of people who have been most affected by white supremacist terrorism.
"If you were really there to honour the lives taken, you would have sat with your discomfort and listened to the rest of the Muslim and tāngata whenua speakers who shared their pain and aroha.
"You would have stayed for the call of prayer that closed the vigil. If 'they' really were 'you' or 'us', you would have stayed for the candles to be lit and for 'Te Aroha' to be sung, and you would be staying with us in solidarity for the long haul."
Kiwi Muslim speaker Azad Khan commended the nation's response following the tragedy during his speech.
"The compassion shown by our Prime Minister, ministers, MPs, the policeman on the street, and ordinary citizens from all walk of life is an example to the rest of the world.
"We as a nation want to be remembered as who came together in our darkest moment."
He also shared his personal experience as a Muslim and migrant in New Zealand.
"We have been portrayed as villains rather than as victims.
"Terms like 'coconut', 'curry muncher', and butter chicken are used to describe the migrant community. Our mosques have been desecrated.
"Where does it stop?"
He called on New Zealanders and the Government to do more to stop racism, and for the Muslim community to be involved in any government inquiry into the act of terrorism.
One attendee who stayed said it was "powerful and relevant" to see tāngata whenua expressing solidarity and empathy with Muslims and all targets of racism, along with "justified anger".
Auckland man Jake Law said he stayed until the end, and as Pākehā he needed to listen to the voices of those directly affected by racism.
"This is the reality facing minorities, immigrants, Māori and people of colour in New Zealand. White people need to shut up, and listen to the voices of those who are directly affected."
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who also spoke at the vigil, said rather than it being "too soon" it was actually "too late" to be having these conversations.
"People are already dead, it is too late.
"A lot of people wanted to separate what happened in Christchurch from politics, but if we have any hope of truly honouring those who passed we need to listen to our Muslim, Māori, Pacific and migrant communities, all saying this is not just about a violent shooter, but about everyday racism."
She said although some people left early, most said it was more about timing.
"I know that it felt like such hard truths for many. I know this is uncomfortable. I am optimistic because I hear most of you who left in protest, saying it was more about timing.
"These were the voices from the front line of everything we need to heal."
