Port Arthur Massacre
| Date | 1996/04/28 |
|---|---|
| Location | Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia |
| Blamed on | Martin Bryant |
| Interest of | Paul Moder |
| Description | A mass shooting incident in and around Port Arthur Tasmania on 28 April 1996 |
Contents
Official narrative
The Port Arthur massacre of 28-29 April 1996 was a killing spree which claimed the lives of 35 people and wounded 37 others mainly at the historic Port Arthur prison colony, a popular tourist site in south-eastern Tasmania, Australia.[1] The attack was perpetrated by "lone nut" Martin Bryant, a 28-year-old from New Town, a suburb of Hobart, who after initially denying responsibility, eventually pleaded guilty to the crimes and was given 35 life sentences without possibility of parole.
Alternative theories
There are two main competing narratives: firstly, the one advocated by Joe Vialls, that concluded that Mossad agents from Israel did it but it was covered up by the Australian government; and secondly that the Australian government themselves did it, through their spy agency ASIO, in order to push forward the gun control that won the John Howard Government the election a couple of years later. While the first alternative theory was the most popular originally, following the introduction of gun control, the gun control narrative became the most popular narrative, especially amongst US viewers of this event, who note the same gun control theories about various events in USA. Of note, there is a third narrative, which has been pushed not only as a side part of both alternative theories but also by the official theory, which states that this was the work of domestic terrorists aiming to control tourist traffic to Australia, and in particular trying to prevent foreign tour guides (especially Japanese) from taking jobs away from Australians. The terrorism theory, unlike the other two, lacks the fatal flaw of it not being in line with previous government policies, and it is also supported by the odd statement by the gunman, immediately prior to the attack, which stated, "There are a lot of WASPs and Nips about today". Certainly, at the time, it was described as a terrorist attack by domestic terrorists in relation to tourism. Theorists suggesting that the Joe Vialls conspiracy theory was itself disinformation have suggested that that is what truly happened.
Problems
Many concerns exist about the official narrative.
Related Documents
The Official Culprit
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Martin Bryant | The official "lone nut" perpetrator of the Port Arthur Massacre, with an IQ of just 66. |
References
- ↑ Aftermath of horror death toll climbs to 35 New York Daily News 30 April 1996
