The atrocity in Christchurch has focused the world’s attention on the rise of far-right extremism and has piled pressure on tech companies to do more to stop its spread. Eleanor Ainge Roy is in Christchurch for the Guardian and foreign correspondent Jason Burke discusses how new technology is facilitating some age-old methods of terrorism. Plus: Nesrine Malik on the normalisation of Islamophobia in some parts of the media

As Muslim worshippers took part in Friday prayers in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, last week, a 28-year-old man burst in and shot dead 50 people. Brenton Tarrant, an Australian citizen, has been arrested and authorities are investigating whether he had links to far-right groups in Europe and beyond.

Eleanor Ainge Roy has been reporting on the story in Christchurch from the moment it happened. She describes to Anushka Asthana the initial police response and then the outpouring of sympathy and grief for the victims as Christchurch struggled to come to terms with the atrocity.

In a 74-page manifesto, the suspect referenced far-right influences and memes from online messageboards. The Guardian’s Jason Burke has been reporting on global terrorism for more than 20 years. He says that new technology allows peer-to-peer sharing of extremist material on an unprecedented scale – and in real time. But in many ways, the methods used by terrorists remain unchanged.

Also today, in opinion, columnist Nesrine Malik on the spread and normalisation of Islamophobia in parts of the mainstream media.