Bishop stabbed by Islamic terrorist speaks out against Australia's global censorship demands

Australian officials appear desperate to hide video evidence of a recent manifestation of anti-Christian hatred. Whereas Facebook was more than willing to aid in Australia's global censorship initiative, Elon Musk's X has indicated it will not comply.

This resistance has enraged Australian officials, prompting legal action and one senator to even declare that Musk should be imprisoned.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, the survivor of the Islamic terror attack, cut through all the noise Wednesday, noting that he is not "opposed to the videos remaining on social media" and that freedom of speech is a "God-given right."

Background

A 16-year-old Islamic terrorist savagely stabbed Bishop Emmanuel during his April 15 evening sermon at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Sydney. The attack at the Assyrian Orthodox church would likely have been fatal were it not for the bravery of the priest and parishioners who rushed to the defense of their bloodied leader, subdued the barbarian, and ultimately restored order to the sanctuary.

The attacker, who allegedly targeted the bishop over a perceived slight to Muhammad, apparently belongs to a network of radicals. The Associated Press reported that seven teens were arrested in Sydney Wednesday in connection to the terror attack. Two teens, one age 16 and the other 17, were charged with conspiring to engage in a terrorist act. Another was charged with carrying a knife in public.

The attack at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church was captured on film, providing the world with a stark reminder of a number of apparently inconvenient truths, not least that Christians remain a prime target for hatred, brutality, and repression, even in the welcoming Anglosphere.

Censors piggyback on anti-Christian violence

Blaze News previously reported that in the aftermath of the attack, the Australian government worked feverishly to suppress the video online.

X's Global Government Affairs team revealed Friday that the "Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered X to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on the recent attack against a Christian Bishop" even though they had not violated the platform's content rules.

The commissioner is Julie Inman-Grant, an American leftist who previously worked as a government relations professional at Microsoft and Twitter. Despite an early flirtation with the CIA, she claims she never pursued a career with the agency.

Inman-Grant, who now also serves on the World Economic Forum's Global Coalition for Digital Safety and collaborates with the Biden White House's Gender Policy Council, has worked ardently in recent years to censor various other posts online that, while lawful, are offensive to progressive sensibilities.

For instance, she had Australian mother and breastfeeding advocate Jasmine Sussex censored for daring to suggest that men cannot breastfeed. Inman-Grant demanded earlier this year that a Canadian be censored over his criticism of a United Nations-affiliated transvestite. She also demanded that the feminist publication Reduxx take down an article detailing how a transvestite injured female players in a women's soccer game.

True to form, Inman-Grant — deemed the "Australian censorship commisar" by Musk — indicated she would exercise her powers under the Online Safety Act "to formally compel" X to remove the video of the bishop's stabbing.

X initially complied, geo-blocking the video in Australia pending a legal challenge. However, it was then threatened with a daily fine of roughly $500,000 if it didn't also "globally withhold these posts."

The Global Government Affairs team responded, "While X respects the right of a country to enforce its laws within its jurisdiction, the eSafety Commissioner does not have the authority to dictate what content X's users can see globally. ... Global takedown orders go against the very principles of a free and open internet and threaten free speech everywhere."

An Australian judge ruled Monday that X must block the video across the globe. On Wednesday, the judge exended this order, banning X from showing the video until May 10. Musk has said X will not delete the videos for users based in other countries.

Musk, whose app became the most downloaded news app in Australia earlier this week, posed the question Monday, "Our concern is that if ANY country is allowed to censor content for ALL countries, which is what the Australian 'eSafety Commissar' is demanding, then what is to stop any country from controlling the entire Internet?"

Outrage, uncensored

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, "By and large, people responded appropriately to the calls by the eSafety Commissioner. X chose not to. They stand, I think — I find it extraordinary that X chose not to comply and trying to argue their case."

The prime minister has suggested that the video evidence of the attack amounts to "misinformation," as do memes of his head photoshopped onto images of other people's bodies.

New South Wales Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb similarly condemned the supposed "misinformation," stating, "I think leading a social media platform should bring with it big social, corporate responsibility."

"I think to have images like that online, they need to be removed immediately and not left up there," added Webb.

Australian Senator Jackie Lambie said, "I think [Elon Musk] a social media nob with no social conscience, he has absolutely no social conscience — someone like that should be in jail and the key be thrown away."

Musk responded, calling Lambie "an enemy of the people of Australia."

Tanya Plibersek, Australia's environment minister, called Musk an "egotistical billionaire," stating that "it's more important for him to have his way than to respect the victims of the crimes that are being shown on social media and to protect our Australian community from the harmful impact of showing this terrible stuff on social media."

The victim central to the controversy kicked out the legs from under Plibersek's argument, indicating he doesn't mind the video being online.

'God-given right'

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel cut through the noise Wednesday, expressing concern in an audio statement that bad actors were using his stabbing "to serve their own political interest to control free speech."

"I do acknowledge the Australian government's desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature," said the bishop. "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 interests to control free speech," continued Bishop Emmanuel. "The moment we oppress this very freedom of speech and religion, we are losing the very human identity and dignity as well."

"I do not wish for what has happened to me to be ... a threat to the very human freedom and freedom of religion," added Emmanuel.

Extra to making clear the censorship regime is not acting in his name and expressing forgiveness for his attacker, he stressed his patriotism, noting, "I'm a proud Aussie."

In light of the country's celebration of Anzac Day, he thanked those Aussies who had fought to protect freedom of speech and religion.

Sydney church stabbing: Multiple people injured during service | 7 News Australiayoutu.be

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