New Jersey community comes together to condemn hate in wake of New Zealand attack

About 100 people gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Westfield Tuesday night and came together in prayer, song and reflection in the wake of a mass shooting attack in New Zealand.

News 12 Staff

Mar 20, 2019, 2:33 AM

Updated 2,028 days ago

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New Jersey community comes together to condemn hate in wake of New Zealand attack
About 100 people gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Westfield Tuesday night and came together in prayer, song and reflection in the wake of a mass shooting attack in New Zealand.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Westfield organized the vigil so that the New Jersey community could come together to condemn bigotry, discrimination and hatred and to support the Muslim community.
Fifty people were killed in Christchurch, New Zealand when a self-proclaimed white supremacist allegedly opened fire inside two mosques. Dozens more were also injured.
"We're doing this because we oppose racism, discrimination and bigotry in all of its forms,” says Elizabeth Wolf.
The candlelight vigil included prayer, song and speeches.
“We try to act on events like this when they do happen to remind everyone that Islamophobia, just like anti-Semitism and just like racism, is against what we believe in and it's important to speak out,” Wolf says.
A bell was tolled for each of the Christchurch victims in a strong message of support and solidarity.
“I believe that in the end bigotry and hatred and ignorance will lose. It always does but how many more must die before it loses,” asked Rabbi Douglas Sagal at the vigil.
Those who attended the vigil said that they would continue to fight against bigotry, racism and discrimination for as long as they were needed.