(Eddie Simon Music/Facebook) 

By Glenn Hicks

Christchurch trauma

Former P.A. man says Christchurch suffering from shock and trauma

Mar 18, 2019 | 5:26 PM

A man from Prince Albert, who now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand says city locals are psychologically traumatized by Friday’s mosque massacres.

Music and film producer Eddie Simon, who moved to the city 14 years ago, said people are still in total shock.

“There’s a record number of people that are going for counselling, and friends of mine have been telling me while they’re at work they’re just day-dreaming and drifting off into a state,” Simon told paNOW from Christchurch. “It’s incredible how a person’s psyche and how our whole being can be affected by this.”

Simon said for many people in the city they were only just coming to terms with the deadly earthquake of 2011.

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“They’re still recovering from the mental and emotional trauma of that, and now for this to happen, it’s been an extremely huge blow,” he said.

We’re going to stand strong, stand together and support one another_{– Eddie Simon.}

It has been more than four days since a white-supremacist gunman opened fire at two different mosques, killing 50 people and injuring dozens of others. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has worked swiftly to introduce new, tougher gun laws in the country.

“I think it’s just reassuring that the government is taking this very seriously and the police and government are wanting to do something to make people feel safe and secure here,” Simon said. However, he noted there was also a sense that if an individual wanted to wreak havoc it was tough to stop.

He added despite the anxiety and stress experienced by residents across Christchurch there was also an extraordinary outpouring of solidarity.

“This incident appears to have triggered something quite significant in the way people are responding and we’re not going to be defeated by this,” he said. “That solidarity that’s been seen here is we’re going to stand strong, stand together and support one another. I think the Christians and Muslims have come closer together from what I’ve witnessed.”

Simon said some early discussions took place with the mayor of Christchurch regarding a possible concert of some sort but that was still at a preliminary stage.

–

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow