The alleged terrorist who shot dead dozens of people at places of worship in the New Zealand city of Christchurch was one man armed with assault weapons, but "we are millions with compassion and kindness".
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That was the message conveyed during a special candlelight vigil at Gwynneville's Omar Mosque on Saturday night.
About 200 people packed into the holy place to pay their respects to those affected by Friday's "barbaric, senseless and inhuman act of terrorism", which has so far claimed 50 lives and left another 50 injured.
Undeterred by heavy downpours of rain, attendees - young and old, of faith and not - held candles as they stood in silence outside the Foley Street mosque.
It was a solemn show of support for the victims and a display of solidarity with the Islamic community.
While "blood was spilled" when 28-year-old Australian-born gunman Brenton Tarrant opened fire during Friday prayers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in central Christchurch, vigil organisers said "in the coming tomorrow, we will embody goodness".
"We are shocked and saddened by this act of violence, terrorism by this individual, particularly when the innocent people were worshipping in the mosque," Omar Mosque chairman Munir Hussain said.
Dr Hussain said the turnout at Saturday night's vigil was "wonderful".
"The mosque was full ... so there was a very good sense of unity and a lot of sorrow, a lot of sadness," he said. "It was nice to know that they are with us."
Dr Hussain - who has lived in Australia for 57 years, 52 of them in Wollongong - said the "wicked" and "uncalled for" attack had "upset the whole Muslim world".
He also called on the government to act on Islamophobia, which "exists in the media and among the politicians".
"Pauline Hanson and former Labor leader Mark Latham, he was here in Wollongong [recently] and saying there should be no multicultural Australia, he wants to send everybody back," he said.
"These politicians are opportunists, they have used terrorism to gain popularity among their own electorates and we are the pawn."
The community is invited to attend the Illawarra People for Peace community vigil to honour the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack on Monday, 5.30pm out the front of the Wesley Church on the Mall. More details here.