Accused Christchurch massacre gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant smiled as he made a white power gesture in the dock as he was charged with murder.
28 year old Tarrant, originally from Grafton, New South Wales but more recently a resident of Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, had his hands chained to his waist as he wore white prison overalls.
Police allege that after opening fire inside the Al Noor Mosque Tarrant drove to the Linwood Masjid Mosque across town and continued his rampage.
Daniel John Burrough, 18, has also been charged with ‘exciting hostility or ill-will’ in relation to the mosque attacks but he did not appear in court.
Police arrested three men – including Tarrant and Burrough – and a woman following Friday’s attack.
The unnamed woman remains in custody, while the third man who was arrested is not linked with the attacks and has been released.
A member of the public tried to storm the court to ‘knife’ the attacker before proceedings began, as citizens were barred from attending.
So far 49 people have been confirmed dead – including at least one child – while dozens more remain missing.
