Ten people who risked their lives to save others during the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacres have been honoured in New Zealand’s most prestigious bravery awards.
“The courage demonstrated by these New Zealanders was selfless and extraordinary. They have our deepest respect and gratitude for their actions on that day,” said the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. “Each of them put their life on the line to save others. If not for their collective actions, the loss of life could have been even greater.”
The list includes two awards of the country’s highest bravery honour, the New Zealand Cross – an acknowledgment akin to the New Zealand Victoria Cross for gallantry.
On 15 March 2019, a white supremacist gunman killed 44 people at al Noor mosque during Friday prayers before driving to the Linwood mosque, where he killed another seven.
Dr Naeem Rashid was posthumously awarded the New Zealand Cross, after he disregarded his own safety to challenge the attacker in al Noor mosque. As the gunman came into the main prayer room and began firing shots, the congregation attempted to flee, but Rashid ran at the gunman.
“In so doing, he enabled others to escape and paid the ultimate price with the loss of his own life. I want to acknowledge Dr Rashid’s wife and family particularly, who will know all too well that his acts that day were a reflection of who he was as a person,” Ardern said.
Rashid’s wife, Ambreen Naeem, said in a statement she was grateful for the award. “Today we can’t see him, but he has spread his message of peace and love, all over the world.”
Abdul Aziz was also awarded the New Zealand Cross for also displaying great courage and bravery challenging the gunman. Aziz shouted provocations at the gunman to get him to refocus his attention on him, with the intention of preventing further loss of life. Aziz’s actions deterred the gunman from re-entering the Linwood Islamic Centre and ultimately forced him to flee the mosque.
“To be honest with you, I couldn’t even have the time to think about anything, I just wanted to get that guy, that coward,” Aziz told RNZ on Thursday.
While Aziz hoped no one would ever have to get an award again for helping save their community from terrorism, he acknowledged it felt good to be honoured. “It means a lot to all our community and all the Muslims and for me too, because all those times we’ve been the target, and this shows that people are with us.
“It feels good, like you’ve done something good in your life.”
There were also four awards of the New Zealand Bravery Decoration and four of the New Zealand Bravery Medal.
Senior constables Scott Carmody and Jim Manning were awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for their exceptional courage in apprehending the gunman.
Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said: “Jim and Scott are incredibly humble, but these awards are an important symbol of much more of than two heroic individuals, they say something about who we are as New Zealanders”.
Ziyaad Shah’s bravery shielding another worshipper with his body in al Noor mosque, while the gunman shot at them, hitting Shah twice, was acknowledged with the New Zealand Bravery Decoration.
Liam Beale, also awarded this decoration, had been driving past al Noor mosque but left his vehicle as he heard gunshots and people screaming. He stopped people from heading to the mosque, and then helped victims.
Lance Bradford, Wayne Maley, Mark Miller and Mike Robinson were awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal. “They placed their lives at risk, bravely searching for victims, assisting them and moving them to safety, while the gunman was active in the area,” Ardern said. “On a day of such terrible loss and suffering, the actions of these 10 individuals demonstrated the humanity, decency and compassion that New Zealanders value and hold dear.”