On Monday, April 15, a knife attack took place in one of the Christian churches in Australia. The police described the event as an act of terrorism. The mass was broadcast over the Internet and recordings showing the drastic incident were published on the X website (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk. When authorities asked him to remove the videos, Musk refused, which was criticized by Australia's prime minister.
On Monday, April 15 There was a knife attack in Australia during mass, which took place in the “Assyrian Church of Christ the Good Shepherd”. The police described the incident as a religiously motivated “act of terror.”
Knife attack in church
The Mass was broadcast online, and recordings of this dramatic event quickly appeared on social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter). The Australian government has called on platform managers to remove the videos within 24 hours. The incident occurred the day after another, unrelated, knife attack in a popular shopping center in Sydney, which translated into social mood.
Australia's e-Safety Commissioner, a body independent of government, also called on social media managers to remove the videos and threatened “heavy fines” if they did not comply.
The commissioner therefore turned to the court that issued an order in this case. X responded that the decision had “no basis in Australian law”.
Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, commented on the situation and stated during a press conference that “I find it extraordinary that X does not want to comply (with the order – editor's note).”
Musk accuses censorship
In a series of posts on X, Musk wrote that he “wants to thank the Prime Minister for informing the public that this platform is the only one that conveys the truth.” Then he used a popular meme template in which a person has to choose a path – one light and the other dark.
In the image on the left, light side, there is the slogan “Free Speech” (freedom of speech), followed by the website icon X with the caption “Truth”. On the other, dark side, there is the slogan “Censorship” and under it the icons of popular social media: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and Reddit with the caption “Propaganda”. The image is accompanied by the slogan “Don't believe what I say, just ask the Prime Minister of Australia!”.
Elon Musk attacks the Prime Minister of Australia with a meme.X
The Australian Prime Minister criticized Elon Musk for using a meme to accuse him of censorship. He told ABC News that Musk “thinks he's above the law and also above common decency” and added that he's an “arrogant billionaire.”
Clash with the commissioner
Earlier, Musk criticized Julie Inman Grant, who serves as e-safety commissioner, calling her “Australia's censorship commissioner.”
X and the e-Safety Commissioner have already faced legal action over the platform's alleged failure to provide information on how it tracks and removes child abuse material online.
The Australian Prime Minister commented on Musk's post and defended Grant, stating that she was defending Australians.
– Social media must demonstrate social responsibility. Musk does not show it, said the Prime Minister.
Main photo source: Frederic Legrand – COMEO / Shutterstock