Influenced by Islamist extremists inside her council, she’s spending her personal money to denigrate her city.
When the mayors of Christchurch and London met to discuss responses to “the rise of right-wing extremism around the world” in the wake of the Christchurch terror attack, the Christchurch mayor revealed she refused to commit the alleged shooter’s name to memory.
Lianne Dalziel told The Guardian: “I didn’t want to hear his name even when they released it. You know, how you commit names to memory. I’ve no idea what his name is.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised never to utter the alleged shooter’s name, and the New Zealand media has mostly followed suit.
Christchurch city also decided not to name the shooter, Dalziel told The Guardian. “It was just instinctive. Why would I want to give him what he wants? He craves attention,” she said. “I hope he rots in hell and rots in jail.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan offered the support of his city when he met with Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel and councillor Raf Manji earlier in the week.
The civic leaders had flown over to London at their own expense, attending a launch for philanthropic trust The Christchurch Foundation’s United Kingdom branch, which took place on Thursday evening UK time (Friday morning NZ time). About 100 people attended the launch.
Dalziel is on the foundation’s board, while Manji chairs its advisory board supporting victims of the terror attack.
The Christchurch Foundation raised $4 million for the victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks. It also raised $2.75m for the central library, T?ranga.
Foundation chair Humphry Rolleston said the charity had launched in the UK to connect with ex-pats and Londoners with a relationship with Christchurch that may want to contribute to the city’s future. The foundation is registered as a trust in the UK.
Great to catch up with @SadiqKhan with @LianneDalziel + talk about role of social inclusion and inequality in countering violent extremism pic.twitter.com/sx51KBqerc
— Raf Manji (@rafmanji) July 3, 2019
Dalziel and Manji met with Khan at the London City Hall earlier in the week. In a Twitter post, Khan said they had discussed responses to “the rise of right-wing terrorism around the world”.
He offered London’s support following the “horrific terror attack in Christchurch earlier this year”.
Fifty-one worshippers were killed when a 28-year-old Australian gunman open fire in Christchurch’s Al Noor and Linwood mosques on March 15.
Khan is a practicing Muslim. He has been mayor since 2016. He recently made headlines for comparing US President Donald Trump to fascist leaders and military dictators.
Dalziel is overseas on leave, and has self-funded her trip. While away, she will be attending an Urban Resilience Summit in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. She will meet with Dutch experts to talk about a range of issues relating to living with water.
She is back in the office on July 15.
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