New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel have commended the city’s Muslim community for their show of strength.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said “I want to acknowledge the strength of our Muslim community who shared their words in court over the past few days”.

“You relived the horrific events of March 15 to chronicle what happened that day and the pain it has left behind.”

 Ms Ardern said “nothing will take the pain away but I hope you felt the arms of New Zealand around you through this whole process, and I hope you continue to feel that through all the days that follow.”

 “The trauma of March 15 is not easily healed but today I hope is the last where we have any cause to hear or utter the name of the terrorist behind it. His deserves to be a lifetime of complete and utter silence.”

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel has praised the courage of the mosque attack victims.

“Since the atrocious act of terror unfolded in our city on 15 March 2019 our Muslim community has taught us much about peace, love, compassion and forgiveness.”

Ms Dalziel said “they gave us another lesson in that this week as they came face-to-face with the terrorist.”

 “They showed enormous courage and delivered their incredibly moving testimony with dignity and grace.’’

 “I think it is very fitting that the man who perpetrated the worst crime in New Zealand’s history should get the harshest sentence in New Zealand’s history. Hopefully his sentencing today will help people to move on.”

 “The mosque attacks were a hate-filled act designed to divide us but, as it was stated in court this week, they have done the opposite. They have brought us closer together.”

 “Our challenge now is to make sure that sense of unity and togetherness continues. We need to continue to demonstrate to the world that there is no place for hate in our city or anywhere else,’’ Mayor Dalziel says.