Gun-related Crime Up in New Zealand Despite Gun Ban

May 18, 2020 By Dave Workman

Gun-related crime and fatalities are up in New Zealand, according to a detailed report from Radio New Zealand (RNZ), despite last year’s crackdown on gun ownership following the March 15 attacks on two mosques in Christchurch.

The report noted the violent crime rate went up in both 2018 (before the mosque attacks) and in 2019. RNZ quoted Auckland City councilor Alf Filipaina, who blamed gangs for much of the rise in gun-related crime.

“I don’t know whether it’s about the accessibility to firearms … all I know is that we need to get the details behind the offences,” Filipaina said. “It’s hard to pinpoint, [if] it’s because of the gangs or because of drugs, or domestics, without knowing the details behind.”

What is clear to American gun rights activists is that gun control has failed again as a response to a violent crime. That is, disarming law-abiding citizens hasn’t had an impact on criminals using firearms.

In the aftermath of the Christchurch attacks—the work of a single killer from Australia—Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern quickly pushed for a ban on certain firearms. Gun prohibitionists in the U.S. immediately hailed her reaction, but now the numbers suggest she wasn’t right after all.

According to the RNZ report, “On a global scale, gun crime remains incredibly low in New Zealand. For instance, in the United States there are about 106 deaths per 1 million population each year. In each of the last two years, New Zealand recorded 2.4 gun-related deaths per million people.

“But if you go back to 2014,” RNZ stated, “New Zealand had less than 1 death per million people, so there has been a steep rise over the past few years.”

While Ardern may not have made any friends in the New Zealand or U.S. firearms communities, RNZ is reporting that her popularity, and that of the Labour Party, are up following the nation’s COVID-19 lockdown as the pandemic spread worldwide.

When leading U.S. anti-gunners warmed up to the idea of gun confiscations, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms publicly chastised them and reminded the country that there is still Second Amendment protection against such a gun grab.

More recently, the Canadian government responded similarly to the mass shooting in Nova Scotia, ignoring the fact that the killer in that spree evidently owned his guns illegally because he did not have a gun license. The reaction—to disarm law-abiding citizens who had nothing to do with the crime for which they are being penalized—has been heavily criticized by U.S. gun rights advocates.

Statement from Police Commissioner Mike Bush following guilty pleas in Operation Deans prosecution

 News > Statement from Police Commissioner Mike Bush following guilty pleas in Operation Deans prosecution

Police acknowledge the guilty pleas in the Christchurch Mosque attacks prosecution that were entered in the Christchurch High Court today.

The guilty pleas to 51 charges of murder, 40 charges of attempted murder and one charge of engaging in a terrorist act were taken via an AVL link from Auckland Prison.

Arrangements for the court hearing were made at short notice after the Defendant indicated, via his counsel on Tuesday afternoon that he wished to be brought before the Court. Police appreciate this news will come as a surprise to the victims and the public, some of whom may have wished to be present in the courtroom.

The two Imams from the Al Noor and Linwood Avenue Mosques were present in the courtroom as representatives of the victims, as were representatives of the media.

Suppression orders were put in place to allow Police, Victim Court Advisors and Victim support to advise as many of the victims as possible prior to the news being made public.

Sentencing will not take place until it is possible for all victims who wish to attend the hearing to do so.  Due to the COVID-19 epidemic that will not be possible for some time.  The Defendant has therefore been further remanded in custody until 1 May 2020, at which time the position will be reviewed and either a sentencing date will be set or there will be a further remand in custody.

Police, Victims Court Advisors and Victim Support will be in touch with individual victims to update them on the sentencing process, including the process for providing Victim Impact Statements and presenting those statements at the sentencing hearing if they wish to do so.
While the sentencing hearing is still pending, today’s guilty pleas are a significant milestone in respect of one of our darkest days. I want to acknowledge the victims, their families and the community of Christchurch – the many lives that were changed forever.  They have inspired all of us to be a kind and more tolerant community. 

I want to acknowledge the large team of Police staff who have been working diligently on preparing the case for court proceedings in June this year along with staff from the Christchurch Crown Solicitor’s Office. This is New Zealand’s largest ever criminal prosecution.

I also want to acknowledge the many Police staff and other agency staff that worked on this case in any capacity and commend them for their hard work and professionalism.

As the sentencing hearing is part of the judicial process, at this stage Police will not comment further until after sentencing.

ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre