New Zealand Media Vow Not to Give Publicity to Alleged Shooter’s White Supremacy Ideology During Trial
STARVED OF PUBLICITY
New Zealand’s major media organizations have made a pledge not to give publicity to white-supremacist ideology when covering the trial of the man charged with murdering 50 people at two mosques in March. The networks and newspapers said they feared alleged shooter Brenton Tarrant would warp the trial into a platform to promote white-supremacist views. They will refuse to cover the content of his 74-page manifesto and will not broadcast anything that could promote white supremacism. That will include hand gestures such as the one he flashed at his first court appearance that is believed to be a white-supremacist signal. The five organizations include New Zealand’s two main television news stations, its two major newspaper companies, and its public radio station. Tarrant, 28, has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder.