More than 11,000 people have signed a petition against proposed tougher gun laws in the wake of the Christchurch mosque massacres, criticizing the changes as "unjust to law-abiding New Zealand citizens."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the ban on military-style semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles and high-capacity magazines only days after the mass shootings at two mosques claimed 50 lives on March 15.
New legislation will be introduced in Parliament next week, and Ardern has said it will be passed as a matter of urgency, skipping the normal public consultation process.
But the petition -- which was launched on Monday and has gained over 11,100 signatures at the time of writing -- criticizes the proposal and calls for an in-depth consultation period.
"We believe that recent changes to New Zealand firearms regulation is ill-advised, partly due to the speed at which they have been implemented and also due to (understandable) emotionally driven public pressure," the petition states.
Users do not have to verify their New Zealand citizenship or identity to sign the petition.