Jacinda Ardern announced sweeping an immediate changes to New Zealand’s gun laws, including the banning of assault rifles and military-style semi-automatics, following the Christchurch mosque shootings.
The government announced a ban on “military-style” semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines like the weapons that were used in last Friday’s attacks at the Al Noor and nearby Linwood mosques. An immediate sales ban went into effect Thursday to prevent stockpiling, and new laws would be rushed through Parliament that would impose a complete ban on the weapons.
The gun legislation is supported not only by Ardern’s liberal Labour Party but also the conservative opposition National Party, so it is expected to pass into law. New Zealand does not have a constitutional right to bear arms.
Hundreds of New Zealanders contacted authorities to hand in their guns within hours of Ardern announcing the ban, police said Friday.