New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called for globally combined forces to root out racist right-wing ideology following last week’s deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch.
In one of her first interviews since then, she told the BBC that she rejected the idea that a rise in immigration was fuelling racism.
Fifty people were killed and dozens more wounded in Friday’s gun attacks.
The first funerals, of a father and son from Syria, took place on Wednesday.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at a cemetery near the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, one of two places of worship targeted.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder. Fifty people died in the attack.
What did Ardern say?
Asked about the rise of right-wing nationalism she said: “This was an Australian citizen but that is not to say that we do not have an ideology in New Zealand that would be an affront to the majority of New Zealanders.”
She said there was a responsibility “to weed it out where it exists and make sure that we never create an environment where it can flourish”.
“But I would make that a global call,” she added. “What New Zealand experienced here was violence brought against us by someone who grew up and learned their ideology somewhere else. If we want make sure globally that we are a safe and tolerant and inclusive world we cannot think about this in terms of boundaries.”
She defended New Zealand’s record on accepting refugees, saying: “We are a welcoming country. I utterly reject the idea that in any way in trying to ensure that we have a system that looks after those who choose to call New Zealand home, that we have perpetuated an environment where this kind of ideology can exist.”