Almost $1 million has been donated to two crowdfunding initiatives in support of New Zealand shooting victims in fewer than 24 hours since the incident, the New Zealand Herald reported Friday.
More than $500,000 has been donated to the Givealittle fundraiser in less than six hours, the report says, while the other one, LaunchGood, had raised almost $467,000 by 7:45 a.m. local time.
LaunchGood is a US-based initiative which describes itself as "a global crowdfunding platform to support Muslims launching good all across the world by helping them raise funds for their campaigns".
"Let us take this opportunity to show our solidarity with the victims and encourage love, tolerance, and unity," the fundraiser's appeal page says.
The raised money will be given to families of the victims through the New Zealand Islamic Information Centre (NZIIC), LaunchGood says.
Forty-one people were reported killed following a shooting at Masjid Al Noor mosque, seven more were killed at Linwood Masjid mosque, and 48 more were injured, according to the New Zealand Herald. One more victim died at Christchurch Hospital, the New York Times reported.
In the meantime, several events across the nation have been cancelled in the wake of attack. Auckland's ASB Polyfest, Wellington's Out in the Park, Pride Hīkoi and singer Bryan Adams' events have been cancelled after the attack, according to the Herald.
"The events in Christchurch have unsettled some of our performers, Polyfest staff, schools and our sponsors, and to respect their well-being we have decided to cancel the final day of the festival," ASB organizers said. "If the event had gone ahead there would have been a significant presence of heavily armed police at the festival which would not have been appropriate for Saturday's family day focus at the ASB Polyfest."
"If we were to proceed, we would divert crucial emergency services away from their duty," the Wellington International Pride Parade team said in their statement.
"In solidarity with the victims of the mass murder yesterday in Christchurch, NZ, our concert scheduled for Sunday at Hagley Park will not go ahead. Tickets will be refunded in full to the card that they were purchased with," Bryan Adams said on his twitter.
"We stand together for a world where we respect each other, where we recognise the strength that comes from our diversity," the politician said during the ceremony. "And recognise an attack on any one community or any one place of worship, whatever the faith, is actually an attack on all of us."
UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Prince Charles, US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, among others, have all expressed their condolences to the victims and their families. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Chairwoman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko have also condemned the shooting and expressed their condolences to the victims.
"The attack on peaceful civilians who gathered to pray is striking with its cruelty and cynicism," Putin said in his telegram to NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "I count on everyone involved in this crime to receive their deserved punishment."
On 15 March, 2019, two mass shootings were carried out in two mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, resulting in the deaths of 49 people. The suspect, self-identified as Brenton Tarrant, is in police custody. Tarrant published a 73-page manifesto explaining the reasons for his actions prior to the shooting.
