A bishop who was allegedly stabbed by a teenager during a livestreamed sermon has condemned the 'political' decision to issue an order for videos of the incident to be removed from social media.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydney's south-west, on April 15 when a 16-year-old boy walked up to the altar and allegedly stabbed him repeatedly.
The boy has been charged with committing a terrorist act.
After the incident, Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant ordered X, formally known as Twitter, and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to remove the footage.
Meta complied with the order but X objected, leading Ms Inman-Grant to take the matter to the Federal Court.
An interim order was granted by Justice Geoffrey Kennett to force X to hide any posts showing the footage until a full hearing on May 10.
But in a slickly produced 11-minute video posted online on Thursday, the bishop said the alleged attack on him should not be used for political purposes and he supports freedom of speech and religion, is against censorship and the videos should stay up.
'I do acknowledge the Australian government's desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature. I do not condone any acts of terrorism or violence,' Bishop Emmanuel said over footage of him walking along Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.
![The Elon Musk-owned social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, was ordered by the Federal Court on Monday night to block all users worldwide from viewing the footage. Mr Musk is pictured](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/25/08/84069477-13348393-image-a-21_1714030761404.jpg)
The Elon Musk-owned social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, was ordered by the Federal Court on Monday night to block all users worldwide from viewing the footage. Mr Musk is pictured
![Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured right) has pleaded for the footage of the alleged stabbing to remain online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/24/06/83739389-13343655-Bishop_Mar_Mari_Emmanuel_pictured_right_during_the_alleged_attac-a-28_1713938078117.jpg)
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured right) has pleaded for the footage of the alleged stabbing to remain online
Via Dolorosa is the path Jesus was forced to walk while carrying a cross on the way to his crucifixion - Bishop Emmanuel is seen carrying a cross on the same processional route, accompanied by followers.
'However, noting our God-given right of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, I'm not opposed to the videos remaining on social media,' the bishop said in a voiceover.
He added that it 'would be of great concern if people use the attack on me to serve their own political interests to control free speech.'
X's Australian lawyers have detailed an affidavit from Bishop Emmanuel giving his permission for the content to be shared and remain online.
'There's recently been an affidavit … from the bishop, the victim of the attack, stating that he's strongly of the view that the material should be available,' lawyer Marcus Hoyne told the Federal Court during a brief hearing Wednesday.
![Parish Priest Father Isaac Royel (left) and Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (right) who both suffered stab wounds are pictured](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/25/14/84070787-13348393-Parish_Priest_Father_Isaac_Royel_left_and_Bishop_Mar_Mari_Emmanu-a-5_1714051376295.jpg)
Parish Priest Father Isaac Royel (left) and Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (right) who both suffered stab wounds are pictured
He said that there would be substantial material filed by his client contesting the orders and the 'exorbitant jurisdiction' claimed by the online safety watchdog.
Blocking clips of Bishop Emmanuel's alleged stabbing for Australian web users was enough, X has argued.
The bishop used his YouTube video to forgive 'whoever was behind this'.
'My prayer goes for the person who has done this act,' he said.
'I will always love this person … He's my son and he will always be my son, he'll always be in my heart and in my prayers and in my thoughts.'
He also said he was praying for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Israel and Palestine.
![Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured) was preaching at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydney 's south-west, on April 15 when a 16-year-old boy walked up to the altar and allegedly stabbed him repeatedly](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/25/14/84069481-13348393-Bishop_Mar_Mari_Emmanuel_pictured_was_preaching_at_Christ_The_Go-a-4_1714051376263.jpg)
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured) was preaching at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydney 's south-west, on April 15 when a 16-year-old boy walked up to the altar and allegedly stabbed him repeatedly
Following the Bishop's stabbing, crowds began to riot outside the Wakeley church as about 2000 people attended injuring dozens of police officers.
On Monday, NSW Police began circulating images of people wanted for questioning. Five people have since been charged with offences.
On Wednesday, more than 400 officers were involved in sweeping searches across Sydney and Goulburn as part of a counter terrorism investigation linked to the religious leader's stabbing.
Police arrested five teenagers, aged between 14 and 17, who were later charged with terrorism offences.