Australian broadcaster Waleed Aly has delivered an emotional speech after the Christchurch terror attacks, saying "this has been coming".
In the aftermath of the attack, which has left 49 people dead so far, the host of The Project (the Australian version) said he was simply not shocked.
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"Of all the things that I could say tonight - that I am gutted, that I am scared, and that I am filled with utter hopelessness - the most dishonest thing, the most dishonest thing would be to say that I am shocked," Aly said on Friday.
"I'm simply not. There's nothing about what happened in Christchurch today that shocks me."
Aly said the terrorist deliberately chose to target the Friday night prayers, knowing his Muslim victims would be helpless like "fish in a barrel".
"This was slaughter by appointment," Aly said.
"I know that the people who did this knew well enough how profoundly defenceless their victims were in that moment."
Aly listed other attacks in recent years, including attacks on mosques in Quebec City and London, an attack on Jews in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and an attack on black Christians in a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
He blamed this on a climate of violence and hate built up by politicians - including Australia's current Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
He savaged far-right Australian politician Fraser Anning, who blamed Islam for the attacks in widely-condemned comments, then he finished off with a powerful message for peace.
"Now we come together. Now we understand this is not a game. Terrorism doesn't choose its victims selectively," he said.
"We are one community and that everything we say to try to tear people apart, demonising particular groups, set them against each other, that all has consequences. Even if we're not the ones with our finger on the trigger."
Newshub.
