TikTok Takes Down Violent Stabbing Video After Investigation Reveals It Remained Online
Social media platform TikTok has removed a violent video depicting the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney, Australia, after an exclusive investigation found it was still accessible on the platform. The footage was reportedly viewed by Axel Rudakubana, 19, before his deadly rampage in Southport in July 2024, which left three young girls dead and ten others injured.
Video Linked to Southport Attacker Sparks Outrage
Rudakubana, who was jailed for life with a minimum 52-year term after pleading guilty to murder, searched for the video on social media platform X just six minutes before leaving his home for the attack. The clip shows Bishop Emmanuel being stabbed by a 16-year-old boy during a live-streamed sermon at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Sydney in April 2023.
Last week, an independent report by Sir Adrian Fulford concluded that the Southport triple-killing was preventable and highlighted the role of violent online content. The report stated that TikTok and Meta had replied to a joint letter from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, expressing condolences and confirming the video's removal from their services following the killer's jailing in January 2025.
Investigation Uncovers Video Still Available
Despite these assurances, an investigation revealed that the video remained visible on a TikTok account with 26,000 followers and had been viewed thousands of times. TikTok removed the video today, stating it breached community guidelines, after being contacted by reporters.
Chris Walker, Director of Serious Injury at Bond Turner, who represents the families of victims Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Da Silva Aguiar, nine, condemned the availability of such material. "We find the availability of such material, causing severe injury to other human beings, morally repugnant and out of kilter with a normal right-minded society," he said.
Walker added, "We know from experience that AR was viewing this material to fortify himself before carrying out the Southport atrocity. Social media companies should take their responsibility to help protect members of society by removing such content."
Calls for Stricter Regulation and Accountability
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, Serious Injury Solicitor at Fletchers Solicitors, representing 22 surviving child victims, criticized social media firms for prioritizing profits over safety. "It is patently clear that social media companies are prioritising profits over the safety and wellbeing of their users and the wider public," she said.
Ryan-Donnelly called for government action, stating, "Social media companies must take more responsibility for promptly removing this disturbing and harmful content. But this must also be followed by action from governments, to impose stricter laws and sanctions on apps which continue to share such content."
Lucy Martindale, head of Operation Shutdown, which aims to hold social media platforms accountable for their role in knife crime, said, "It is wrong. Social media companies have a responsibility to act as quickly as they can. Platforms and content creators are making money from violent content. The victims' families deserve more."
Political Pressure Mounts on Social Media Giants
The revelation comes amid growing political scrutiny. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently told tech bosses at a Downing Street meeting that social media's harmful impact on children "can't go on like this." Labour is currently consulting on how to regulate the online world for children, while the Conservatives have accused Starmer of dithering and called for an immediate ban on social media for under-16s.
Retired Met Police detective Peter Bleksley echoed the sentiment, saying, "This is a disgrace. We've heard time and time how this content can inspire these horrific attacks. It's clear TikTok are more interested in words than action."
The TikTok video included a sensitive content warning stating, "Some people may find this video disturbing." Rudakubana also had a computer file titled "Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual," leading to a charge under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
