New Zealand prohibits the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatic after attacks

The Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, announced Thursday, March 21 a immediate prohibition of the purchase of badault rifles and semi-automatic, in response to the attack of the Christchurch, in which 50 people died. "I am announcing that New Zealand will ban all semi-automatic military-style weapons, as well as all badault rifles," said Ardern, who announced interim measures to prevent floods before the entry into force of the new measures.

"The consequence will be that no one can buy these weapons without a police license. I can badure you that it's foolish to ask for such a license, "said Ardern, who also announced the ban on high-capacity chargers and devices allowing faster firing." In summary, every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country. "

For weapons already acquired, Ardern has announced a buyout system that will cost between NZ $ 100 and 200 million (between $ 69 and $ 139 million), depending on the number of weapons received. Those who keep their weapons beyond the amnesty period will face fines of up to $ 4,000 and up to three years in prison.

One of the largest chain stores in the country, Hunting and fishing in New ZealandHe stated that he supported "any government action to permanently ban such weapons". "Although we sold them to a small number of customers in the past, last week's events forced a re-examination that led us to believe that such weapons of war have no place in our business or in our business. our country. "said CEO Darren Jacobs in a statement.

Those who keep their weapons beyond the amnesty period will face fines of up to $ 4,000 and up to three years in prison.

Fifty people were killed Friday by the Australian Brenton Tarrant, a self-proclaimed 28-year-old white supremacistin two mosques in Christchurch, the main town on the southern island of New Zealand. The prime minister said that the arrested man had acquired the weapon legally and increased his capacity with a charger "easily accessible online".

At a press conference, David Tipple, owner of Gun City, he said that his company sold four weapons and ammunition to Tarrant via a "police-verified online mail order process". The store "did not detect anything extraordinary" about the purchase, he said, adding that none of these weapons was semi-military style. -automatic.

"Personally, I do not think guns should be legal at all," said Elliot Dawson, who survived the attack on the Lindwood Mosque. "Perhaps in extreme cases of self-defense, but I do not think such weapons are necessary." New Zealand is not the US The United States has another totally different situation I think in the United States it would probably be more dangerous to remove the weapons from the people, but here I think we do not need them at all. "

For his part, Philip Alpers, an arms law badyst at the University of Sydney, said that New Zealand rejected the most important reform of a series of weapons-related restrictions which has halved the death rate from firearms in Australia. If New Zealand "had not been the exception that day and would have done what Australia did, it would not have happened," said Alpers.

AP / AFP / DS