WELLINGTON: New Zealand retailer Gun City, which sold weapons to the man accused of shootings at two Christchurch mosques that killed 51 people and injured dozens, has aroused concern with plans for a mega store in the South Island city, media said on Wednesday.
Radio New Zealand said some of those living near the proposed site were upset at the prospect of the store, sprawling over 300 sq m (3,229 sq ft), along with warehouse, office and carpark, set to open in August.
“I don’t think many people will be very comfortable to have guns around their homes in a residential area,” one of the residents, Harry Singh, told the broadcaster.
Gun City did not immediately reply to Reuters’ request for comment.
The location is just 1 km (0.62 miles) from the racetrack where New Zealand held its first firearms buyback on Saturday, four months after its worst peacetime mass shooting.
The accused gunman, Brenton Tarrant, bought four weapons and ammunition between December 2017 and March 2018, Gun City owner David Tipple said in March.
Tarrant, due to stand trial in May, has pleaded not guilty to 92 charges over the attacks, including New Zealand’s first terrorism charge.
Tipple told Radio New Zealand he was sorry some people were concerned about the new store, but the chain was “willing and happy to introduce those persons to the positives of firearms.”
A gun reform law passed in April bars the circulation and use of most semi-automatic firearms, parts to convert firearms into semi-automatics, magazines over a certain capacity and some shotguns.
The government has allotted NZ$208 million ($139 million) for buybacks nationwide to compensate gunowners who surrender banned weapons. Police took in 224 firearms on Saturday, with 22 similar events scheduled this week.
With a population of just under 5 million and an estimated 1.5 million firearms, New Zealand ranks 17th in the world in numbers of civilian firearms owners, the Small Arms Survey shows.
Gun megastore plan in New Zealand’s Christchurch sparks backlash
Gun megastore plan in New Zealand’s Christchurch sparks backlash
Stranded in paradise: Mideast war traps thousands in Bali
- Limited flights from UAE begin as governments seek to extract citizens from Middle East
- At least 4,400 people had flights to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi canceled between Saturday and Monday
DENPASAR, LONDON, BERLIN: Passengers stranded on the Indonesian resort island of Bali clamored for flight news on Tuesday as the outbreak of war in the Middle East grounded planes and turned a tropical holiday dream into an ordeal for many.
Hundreds were crowded at Ngurah Rai International Airport, many dressed in shorts, flip-flops and summer dresses, their expressions dour.
Many sat on the floor, exhausted, and one man repeatedly hit a wall in frustration. “I just kind of want to see my family ... right now it’s a bit stressful,” British tourist Adam Woo, transiting through Bali after holidaying on the neighboring island of Lombok, said. The 23-year-old student said he saw the missiles start flying on the news “and I was a bit worried about my flight” — especially after Dubai airport was hit in Iran’s response to a US-Israeli attack.
“Obviously, everyone around the world at the moment is kind of stuck,” said Woo. “All the travel agencies are swamped with people calling in. So, it’s literally impossible to even get on the phone with someone.”
He said he was looking for an alternative flight via China.
Around Woo, many at the airport were lugging around heavy luggage with slumped shoulders, frustration etched on many a face.
Many queued on foot and on chairs outside information centers hoping for news on replacement flights, receiving occasional briefings with little news.
The airport’s immigration office said in a statement at least 4,400 people had flights to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi canceled between Saturday and Monday.
With would-be passengers at risk of overstaying their visas, the Bali immigration office introduced a same-day emergency stay permit free of charge for affected foreigners.
Thirty-five have applied so far, according to immigration head Felucia Sengky Ratna.
Airports company Angkasa Pura said 15 flights from Bali to Doha and Abu Dhabi, and vice versa, have been canceled between Saturday and Monday.
National carrier Garuda Indonesia has grounded all flights to Doha until further notice.
Meanwhile, stranded travelers began departing the UAE aboard a small number of evacuation flights on Monday, even as most commercial air traffic across the Middle East remained suspended.
The limited flights out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi took place as the US State Department urged its own citizens in 13 countries, including UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman, to “depart now via commercial means due to serious safety risks.”
Sweeping airspace closures and flight cancelations across the region left many fewer options for heeding the advice.
The State Department has evacuated non-emergency personnel and families in six nations, adding the UAE to its list on Tuesday.
In Italy, the government has assisted with flights to Milan and Rome in the wake of mounting criticism against Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
The minister sparked a political controversy at home after being stuck in Dubai with his family during the initial phase of the attack on Iran.
Crosetto returned to Rome on Sunday on a military aircraft. The left-wing opposition has called for Crosetto’s resignation, saying he should not have traveled to the Middle East during a crisis.
