Australian Government’s Overreach Slammed: Conservative Social Media ‘Gab’ Defies Censorship Demands, Faces $500,000 Fine for Upholding Free Speech

The conservative social media platform Gab has openly defied the Australian government’s demand to remove or censor a video depicting a tragic attack at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in western Sydney.

While tech giants like Meta acquiesced to similar requests, Gab has told the Australian government to pound sand, potentially incurring a hefty fine of $500,000 USD.

The controversial video, which includes a poignant message from Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was wounded during the assault, became a flashpoint for a clash between censorship and the right to free speech.

Two days after six people were killed in a Sydney shopping mall last month by a serial stabber, who was ultimately shot dead by a female police officer, Bishop Mari Emmanuel of Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley was the target of a violent stabbing while preaching during an evening service.

After a 16-year-old Muslim terrorist stabbed the bishop during a live-streamed sermon, the video of the attack quickly spread online.

The platform, which prides itself as a bastion of unfettered expression, especially for conservative voices often silenced by mainstream social media, is now being threatened with a significant financial penalty.

The notice from Down Under warns of enforcement action that could lead to civil penalties amounting to $782,500 AUD for non-compliance—around half a million in US dollars.

Despite the distressing nature of the footage from the church attack, Gab maintains that such content is critical for public awareness and discourse. The video not only captures the barbarity of the incident but also carries an important narrative on violence and resilience as expressed by Bishop Emmanuel.

Gab’s CEO, Andrew Torba, issued a fiery response:

We refuse to succumb to the pressure of the Australian government and will not censor the video posted by our user. We stand by our commitment to free speech and support the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in their time of need. We encourage our users to share their thoughts, prayers, and support for Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and the entire congregation affected by this tragedy.

Gab was founded in 2016 as an alternative to mainstream social media platforms that are known for their overly censorious and biased policies against conservative viewpoints. We believe in providing a platform where users can express themselves freely within the bounds of American law. Our leadership style is characterized by vocal advocacy for free speech and a staunch opposition to Silicon Valley’s monopolistic control over online discourse.

We urge our users to stand with Gab in our fight for free speech and support for the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church. Share your thoughts, prayers, and support for Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and the congregation on Gab, and help us spread the word about this important issue. Together, we can demonstrate that the power of free speech is stronger than any government’s attempt to suppress it. Let’s stand united in our commitment to protect and preserve free speech online for everyone.

Elon Musk’s X was also ordered to take down posts commenting on the attack.

X has stated it will challenge the take-down order:

This was a tragic event and we do not allow people to praise it or call for further violence. There is a public conversation happening about the event, on X and across Australia, as is often the case when events of major public concern occur.

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. We will robustly challenge this unlawful and dangerous approach in court.

Global takedown orders go against the very principles of a free and open internet and threaten free speech everywhere.

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