Stabbed Sydney bishop supports social media platform hosting video of his stabbing

The Sydney bishop stabbed in church isn’t against video of his violent attack circulating on X, despite warnings the footage has the potential to instruct or inspire others.

The Sydney bishop who was stabbed in church says he is “not opposed” to video of his violent attack circulating on X, despite warnings the footage has the potential to instruct or inspire others.

In a video posted to YouTube by the Christ The Good Shepherd Church, Bishop Emmanuel acknowledged the Australian Government’s “desire” to have the video of the alleged terror attack removed because of their graphic nature, but said he backed billionaire Elon Musk’s X Corp in the ongoing legal battle with eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

“I do not condone any acts of terrorism or violence,” Bishop Emmanuel said in the video published on Thursday.

“However, noting our God-given right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I’m not opposed to the videos remaining on social media.

“I would be of great concern if people use the attack on me to serve their own political interest to control free speech.”

X is challenging a takedown notice issued by the eSafety Commissioner after footage of the April 15 stabbing was deemed ‘class one’ material, meaning it specifically promotes, incites or instructs in matters of crime or violence.

The order only related to removing footage of the attack, not posts or commentary related to the incident.

But Bishop Emmanual said he believed oppressing freedom of speech would result in losing “human identity and dignity”.

“As a Christian if someone, if another human being, does not believe in what I believe in, if another human being attacks my faith and attacks My Lord, that does not give me the right to go and cause harm to that person,” he said.

“This is inhumane at a human level, it is unacceptable.”

Bishop Emmanuel repeated his forgiveness of the 16-year-old alleged to have attacked him, saying that he will “always love this person”.

JUDGE’S ORDER

On Wednesday, the bishop had backed Elon Musk’s call for video of the alleged terror incident to remain online, despite an Australian judge extending an order for X to hide the violent footage.

Amid an ongoing legal battle with X Corp, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has urged people to continue to report posts featuring the “extreme violent” attack, reiterating that its take down order only related to the video and not “commentary, public debate or other posts” about the church stabbing.

Federal Court judge Geoffrey Kennett on Wednesday granted the Commissioner an extension of an interim injunction requiring X to hide specific URLs of the stabbing from all global users at least until the matter is considered again on May 10.

During the hearing lawyers for X Corp told the Federal Court their client had an affidavit from Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel supportive of the video depicting his attack remaining on social media.

“(We have an) affidavit from the bishop, the victim of the attack, stating that he’s strongly of the view that the material should be available,” barrister Marcus Hoyne representing X Corp said.

X chief executive Elon Musk has fired up at Australia’s attempts to remove videos of the Sydney church stabbing from his platform. Picture: Etienne Laurent/AFP

A spokeswoman for the Commissioner said platforms providing services to Australians were expected to comply with the law and “do everything practical and reasonable to minimise the harm of extreme violent video on our citizens and community”.

“We encourage people to report the video of the violent stabbing attack in the first

instance to the platform where it appears,” she said.

“This is often the fastest means to have this content removed.”

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed multiple times.

eSafety originally issued the take-down order to all social media platforms after video of the stabbing on April 15 was deemed ‘class one’ material, meaning it specifically promotes, incites or instructs in matters of crime or violence.

Representing the Commissioner, barrister Christopher Tran requested the extension of the interim injunction, while also submitting that X had so far allegedly failed to comply with the original court order issued on Monday.

Mr Tran said his client did not seek to “make anything” of the alleged noncompliance at Wednesday’s hearing, noting that dealing with the “consequences” should be reserved for another day in the future.

Since the interim court order was first made, Mr Musk has fired off a series of missives on X attacking Australian politicians who backed the removal of the content.

Mr Musk labelled Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie an “enemy of Australians” after the outspoken Tasmanian suggested the billionaire be jailed for continuing to support the hosting of the stabbing vision.

The matter is due to be heard again on May 10.

It comes as two more men were charged over their alleged roles in the riot outside the church on Wednesday.

A 52 year-old man was arrested at Fairfield Police station before being charged with riot, assaulting a police officer during public disorder causing no aggravated bodily harm.

An hour and a half later, a 31 year-old man arrived at the same police station and was also arrested, before being charged with riot, throwing a missile at a police officer during public disorder and causing no aggravated bodily harm.
Both men were refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.