Palestine Legal on the New Zealand massacre and global violence against Muslims

Credit: Reuters

Palestine Legal sends our condolences and love to our Muslim friends and family in the wake of the horrific mosque attacks in New Zealand. We understand that many in our communities are experiencing a variety of feelings - from concern for their own personal safety to anger at the ways in which the media and public continue to uphold white supremacy and Islamophobia in their responses to the massacre.

The shooter’s act is rooted in the same Islamophobia and white supremacy that have fueled decades of US-led policies and wars that have resulted in millions of Muslims being profiled, mistreated, dehumanized, and killed. The rise of extreme right-wing politicians around the world has also been bolstered by these systems.

Members of our community have rightfully criticized the hypocrisy and selective memory on display in many responses to the massacre. Others have pointed out that the US, Saudi, and Israeli militaries routinely kill Muslims in large numbers through drone strikes and bomb raids with little to no media coverage or expressions of solidarity from the rest of the world.

So we understand this recent massacre of Muslims in their places of worship—as well as prior massacres of Black, Jewish, and Sikh people in their places of worship—as rising from an entrenched system of white supremacy, bolstered by decades of wars and structural violence in which people of color have borne the cost - both in loss of life and in being blamed for the destruction of their communities.

Islamophobia and white supremacy permeate many of the attacks that we see on Palestinians and solidarity activists every day.

We recognize that the only way we can confront, survive, and heal from these forms of oppression is through collective movements for equality, freedom, and justice. We are committed to working toward a world where all people can live in safety and dignity.

Peace be upon you.