Diff: Brenton Tarrant
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'''Brenton Harrison Tarrant''' (born 1990) is an Australian white supremacist terrorist who carried out the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand on 15 March 2019. He murdered 51 people, attempted to murder 40 others, and was convicted of a terrorism offence. |
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Brenton Tarrant (born 1990) is an Australian white supremacist and the perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15, 2019. Tarrant's actions shocked the world and brought attention to the rise of far-right extremism and the dangers of online radicalization. This wiki page provides an overview of Brenton Tarrant's background, the Christchurch mosque shootings, and the subsequent impact on society. |
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Tarrant was sentenced in 2020 to life imprisonment without parole. It was the first time that sentence had been imposed in New Zealand. |
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== Background == |
== Background == |
Brenton Tarrant was born in Australia and grew up in Grafton, New South Wales. Not much is known about his early life, but it has been reported that he had a troubled upbringing and became increasingly isolated and radicalized over time. Tarrant travelled extensively, visiting various countries, and his extremist views and hate-filled ideology developed during this period. |
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Tarrant was born in Australia and later moved to New Zealand. The Royal Commission of Inquiry examined his travel, firearms licensing, online activity, planning and contact with public agencies before the attack. |
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== Christchurch Mosque Shootings == |
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On March 15, 2019, Tarrant carried out a horrific act of terrorism targeting two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He live-streamed the attack on social media, showcasing his heinous actions to a global audience. The shootings resulted in the deaths of 51 innocent worshippers and left numerous others injured. The attack was motivated by white supremacist beliefs and fuelled by Islamophobia and hatred towards immigrants. While on his way to the next Mosque, Tarrant is seen live shooting a shotgun through his car's window at people. Upon being forcefully stopped by armed police, Tarrant showed no resistance and was arrested. |
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Public discussion of his background often focuses on radicalisation, online extremism and white-supremacist ideology. The Royal Commission treated him primarily as the individual responsible for a terrorist attack, while also examining whether state agencies had information that could have changed the outcome. |
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== Investigation and Trial == |
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Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, Tarrant was quickly apprehended by local authorities. He faced charges in New Zealand, including multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. Tarrant showed no remorse for his actions and used his trial as a platform to propagate his extremist views. In August 2020, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, marking the first time such a sentence was imposed in New Zealand. |
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== Christchurch Mosque Attacks == |
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On 15 March 2019, Tarrant attacked Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch during Friday prayers. He murdered 51 worshippers and wounded many more. |
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== Impact and Societal Response == |
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The Christchurch mosque shootings had a profound impact on New Zealand and the wider global community: |
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The attack was planned as a terrorist act against Muslims. It was motivated by white-supremacist, anti-immigrant and Islamophobic beliefs. The attacker also tried to exploit the internet by livestreaming part of the attack and spreading extremist material. |
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# Unity and Solidarity: The attack brought people of different backgrounds together in support of the victims and against hate, fostering a sense of unity and solidarity. |
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# Increased Awareness of Far-Right Extremism: The incident shed light on the rising threat of far-right extremism and the dangers of online radicalization. It prompted discussions about addressing hate speech, combating extremism, and promoting social cohesion. |
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# Call for Stricter Gun Control: The shootings prompted a re-evaluation of gun control laws in New Zealand, resulting in significant reforms aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future. |
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# International Efforts Against Online Extremism: Governments and tech companies intensified their efforts to combat the spread of extremist content online, recognizing the role such platforms can play in radicalization and incitement to violence. |
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# Remembrance and Support for Victims: Memorials and acts of remembrance were held to honour the victims and support their families, emphasizing the importance of compassion, tolerance, and understanding. |
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Police stopped and arrested him shortly after the attacks. He was later charged with murder, attempted murder and engaging in a terrorist act. |
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== Court Proceedings == |
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Tarrant pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one terrorism charge. In August 2020, Justice Cameron Mander sentenced him at the High Court in Christchurch to life imprisonment without parole. |
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The sentence reflected the scale of the murders, the terrorist motive, the targeting of people at prayer, and the deliberate planning. New Zealand's courts had not previously imposed life imprisonment without parole. |
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== Royal Commission == |
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New Zealand established a Royal Commission of Inquiry after the attacks. Its work examined whether public sector agencies had information that could or should have alerted them to the attack, and how agencies interacted before 15 March 2019. |
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The Royal Commission reported that Tarrant had been convicted of terrorism, 51 murders and 40 attempted murders, and was serving life imprisonment without parole. Its wider recommendations dealt with national security, firearms, social cohesion, hate crime, online extremism and support for affected communities. |
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== Impact == |
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The attacks led to major grief and anger in New Zealand and abroad. Muslim communities were directly targeted, and the aftermath involved funerals, survivor support, memorials, court proceedings, inquiries and public debate about racism and far-right extremism. |
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New Zealand changed firearms law after the attacks, including restrictions on military-style semi-automatic firearms. Governments and technology companies also faced renewed pressure over the spread of extremist content online. |
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The attacks remain an important case study in modern far-right terrorism. Accurate writing about the case should avoid glorifying the attacker or repeating propaganda material, and should centre the victims, the legal record and the failures that allowed the attack to happen. |
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== See Also == |
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* [[Mass_Shootings]] |
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* [[Police_officer]] |
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* [[Law]] |
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== References == |
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* [https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz/the-report/executive-summary-2/executive-summary Royal Commission of Inquiry: Executive summary] |
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* [https://coronerscourt.govt.nz/masjidain-attacks-coronial-process/relevant-documents/documents-related-to-the-royal-commission-of-inquiry-or-sentencing/ Coroners Court of New Zealand: Royal Commission and sentencing documents] |
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* [https://www.britannica.com/topic/mass-shooting Britannica: Mass shooting] |
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[[Category:Crime]] |
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[[Category:Terrorism]] |
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[[Category:New Zealand]] |