22 March marked a week of the terror attacks in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, where 50 people were shot dead by a single gunman.
After the attacks, the country has come together to mourn the attacks and stand in solidarity with the Muslim community.
On Friday, citizens along with prime minister Jacinda Ardern stood at Hagley park, in front on the Al Noor mosque, one of the mosques where the shooting happened, as they observed the Muslim prayer. The service touched ‘every New Zealander’s heart’, reported Reuters .
“Islamophobia is real. It is a targeted campaign to influence people to dehumanise and irrationally fear Muslims. To fear what we wear, to fear the choice of food we eat, to fear the way we pray and to fear the way we practice our faith.”Imam Fouda of Al Noor Mosque to Reuters
Despite the support that the Muslim community is receiving, the community is ‘still living in fear’, reports NDTV. Some women were even scared to step out wearing the hijab.
Thus to make them feel safe, women all over New Zealand donned headscarves as a gesture to remind Muslim women that the country stands with them.
The suggestion of wearing headscarves was made by Thaya Ashman, a doctor in Auckland.
Women in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch posted pictures of themselves in headscarves. Even children were spotted in headscarves.
Why am I wearing a headscarf today? Well, my primary reason was that if anybody else turns up waving a gun, I want to stand between him and anybody he might be pointing it at. And I don’t want him to be able to tell the difference, because there is no differenceBell Sibly to ABC news.
New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern garnered a lot of praise for having worn a hijab while interacting with members of the Muslim community after the shootings.
Even the police officer who was guarding Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch on was pictured wearing a hijab. The image was called ‘strong’ and ‘powerful’ by people on social media that truly commented on the current state of affairs in New Zealand.
Netizens on twitter have also come forward expressing their respect for the gesture.
Some were even shocked with how a country could be so united in present times.
While some want to know how they can do more.
However there were those who did not take to the idea rather well.
Here’s hoping that the world becomes a safer place for all genders and communities.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)