A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir

This chapter covers the 2018 Christchurch terrorist attack from Ardern’s perspective, beginning with her trip to New Plymouth before the shooting. She was focused on environmental policies, planning to speak on the transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen and stopping to speak at a student demonstration against climate change, when she received the call informing her of the attack. Her chief press secretary, Andrew Campbell, kept her updated, and she was taken to a local police headquarters while Clarke returned with Neve to their hotel for safety, in case further coordinated attacks occurred. She learned that an Australian gunman attacked two mosques in Christchurch in an anti-Muslim hate crime shortly after sending a manifesto to the government. His goal, to undermine New Zealand’s tolerant culture and welcoming immigration policies, filled Ardern with rage. She and Grant drafted a speech, which she gave at a press conference. Upon seeing footage of the attack’s aftermath on the news, she was filled with sorrow. Back in her office later that evening, she called Imam Gamal Fouda of the Al Noor mosque, where most of the fatalities occurred, and apologized repeatedly to him.