One of New Zealand’s most notorious gangs have performed an emotional haka in a powerful tribute to the Christchurch massacre victims.
The poignant moment saw around ten members of Black Power, which was first formed in 1970, gather near to the police cordon at Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch to perform the ceremonial dance.
The group were surrounded by mourners who had gathered at a flower vigil to pay their respects to the victims of Friday’s terror attack.
The poignant moment saw around ten members of Black Power perform the haka (pictured)
A gang spokesman, who did not want to be named, said that ‘no words’ could explain how hurt people were feeling.
‘Even though people call us a gang and what not, we live in this community together and it has just brought everyone together, it doesn’t matter what you wear or what colour your skin is, or what you stand for, your religion, it’s just brought everyone together like the earthquakes,’ he told The Daily Telegraph.
The unidentified spokesman also said that the type of extremism exhibited in the recent attack had been around for ‘decades’ and people need to be wary.
‘That [white power extremism] has been here for years, it’s been here for decades, every respect for a person who shows who they are but others hide behind something. Those are the people you have to be aware about and careful about because they do not express how they feel, they just blow up and something like this is the result,’ he concluded.
Black Power member said the haka was a showing of honour and respect to those that had been suffering, and to give them strength
Mourners were pictured standing across the road from the mosque in Christchurch, in New Zealand’s south island
The unidentified spokesman for Black Power also said that the type of extremism exhibited in the recent attack had been around for ‘decades’
Another member of the gang, Shane Turner, said the Black Power group members were suffering alongside everyone else.
‘It is sad today and going to be sad tomorrow and this is about the only time we can all be together collectively,’ he said.
He added the haka was a showing of honour and respect to those that had been suffering, and to give them strength.
The tribute comes shortly after members of another renowned gang, the Mongrel Mob, were captured consoling each other after the Christchurch terror attack as Prime Minister Jacinda Arden met families of the victims.
Prime Minister Jacinda Arden speaks with a woman during a visit to the Canterbury Refugee Centre in Christchurch
Members of the Mongrel Mob (pictured) descended at Hagley College, in Christchurch, where Jacinda Arden arrived at about 1pm to greet hundreds of survivors, family members and mourners
Ms Arden hugs a member of Christchurch’s Muslim community on Saturday afternoon
Ms Arden wore a black headscarf to pay her respect.
She told reporters on Saturday afternoon that authorities were focusing on returning victims to their families so they could properly mourn.
The Prime Minister spoke with families at Hagley Park who were desperately trying to locate their missing relatives.
‘Hagley Park, very much the focus on them was being able to access their loved ones,’ she said.
‘Front of mind for them, of course, is fulfilling their religious expectations and that is burial.’
Ms Arden had also spoken with Muslim leaders at the refugee centre.
Ms Arden, who visited Canterbury Refugee Centre in Christchurch, wore a black headscarf to pay her respect
Ms Arden had also spoken with Muslim leaders at the refugee centre
Ms Arden spoke to a number of survivors who shared their experiences, including one man who said a bullet scraped him
Mongrel Mob are an organised street gang in New Zealand based across the country
‘At the meeting at the refugee centre, their community leaders shared the same sentiment that has come through from New Zealanders generally that,’ she said.
‘This is not the New Zealand they know.’
‘This is not the New Zealand that has welcomed them and that it is not a reflection of the New Zealand they know, and that sentiment came through very strongly.’
Ms Arden spoke to a number of survivors who shared their experiences, including one man who said a bullet scraped him.
The street gang was seen dressed in jackets, vests and t-shirts with the mongrel logo
They are seen greeting other mourners at Hagley College on Saturday afternoon