Giving the mosque shooter exactly what he said he wanted, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern solves a non-existent problem by outlawing commonly-owned firearms that law-abiding Kiwis have owned for generations.
“Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned,” she said.
The ban includes any semi-automatic guns or shotguns that are capable of being used with a detachable magazine that holds more than five rounds. It also extends to accessories used to convert guns into what the government called “military-style” weapons.
It does not include semi-automatic .22 caliber or smaller guns that hold up to 10 rounds or semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns with non-detachable magazines that hold up to five rounds. The guns not banned are commonly used by farmers and hunters.
The government said the police and military would be exempt as would businesses carrying out professional pest control. Access for international shooting competitions would also be considered.
There are nearly 250,000 licensed gun owners in New Zealand, which has a population of 5 million people. Officials estimate there are 1.5 million guns in the country.
– Juliet Williams and Nick Perry in New Zealand bans ‘military-style’ guns after mosque attacks