Christchurch attacks force New Zealand to see ‘racist underbelly’

The mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand is prompting examination of racism in a society believes itself multicultural and tolerant.

New Zealand is a multicultural, multi-ethnic country and everyone seems to get along.

But the attacks that took the lives of 50 Muslims has forced New Zealand examine the presence racism in its own society.

Although ethnic minorities have said that New Zealand is a generally tolerant place, most have stories of experiencing racism.

Police, too, have admitted that the threat of white supremacist violence was not considered an urgent problem until this weekend.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas reports from Christchurch.