Gun-related crimes and fatalities are on the rise in New Zealand, despite the country’s recent attempts to ban and confiscate many commonly owned firearms over the past year, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).
“New figures obtained by RNZ show that [2019] had the highest rates of gun crime and deaths involving firearms for nearly 10 years,” says the article.
Auckland, New Zealand City Councillor Alf Filipaina told RNZ that several factors may be at the heart of this increase, but chief amongst them was gang-related crime.
This rise in gun-related crime comes after New Zealand’s move to ban several categories of firearms and to confiscate them from law-abiding gun owners after a terrorist left dozens dead in Christchurch, New Zealand in March 2019. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern summarily banned “military-style” firearms and instituted a “buyback” program just six days after the terrorist attack.
“Now, six days after this attack, we are announcing a ban on all military-style semi-automatics (MSSA) and assault rifles in New Zealand,” said Ardern. “Related parts used to convert these guns into MSSAs are also being banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.”
The “buyback” is reportedly expected to cost in the range of $100-$200 million.
Many anti-gun groups and politicians in the U.S. applauded Ardern’s decision, including Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts, who tweeted that “New Zealand’s willingness to act swiftly after a national shooting tragedy stands in stark contrast to the US.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted: “We must follow New Zealand’s lead, take on the NRA and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons in the United States.”
Predictably, what’s happening in New Zealand is that some law-abiding citizens are turning in their politically incorrect guns while criminals are choosing to hold onto theirs.
