High security in Christchurch as mosque gunman faces sentencing

The city of Christchurch is under high security as the sentencing of the Australian gunman convicted of killing 51 people in the nation’s worst peacetime massacre gets underway. Brenton Tarrant, 29, was flown in to the city on an air force Hercules plane on Sunday, flanked by unprecedented levels of security for a prisoner in New Zealand. On Monday morning, heavily armed police were stationed on both sides of the Christchurch high court building, which has been barricaded off from the street, with media taking photographs of military-style vehicles in the precinct. Armed police were also keeping watch outside the two mosques that the gunman attacked. This is the first time that the Australian man – who killed 51 worshippers at two mosques in March 2019 – will face his victims, and the atmosphere at the high court was charged. Snipers were positioned on the roof and armed police stood every entrance. Streets outside the court were blocked by concrete barriers which were lifted into place with cranes over the weekend. Some 30 media outlets – domestic and international – have flown in for the sentencing, which is expected to last a four days. More than 66 victims will read out victim impact statements. Others have decided to stay at home and spend their time in prayer, while some will watch the live stream of the hearing from home. Justice Cameron Mander will oversee the lengthy hearing, which is expected to result in life imprisonment, and possibly with no chance of parole. Victims have travelled from around the world to attend the sentencing but due to Covid-19 restrictions many have been unable to reach Christchurch. Some remain in quarantine hotel rooms in New Zealand where they will watch the livestream. Victims hail from countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Jordan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Fiji, Egypt and Singapore.


All data is taken from the source: https://www.theguardian.com/
Article Link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/24/high-security-in-christchurch-as-mosque-gunman-faces-sentencing

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