The Christian Lives Matter group has disappeared from the public, as the group’s members continue to privately support men arrested for attacking LGBTQIA+ protesters.
Following three men being arrested for charges relating to an attack on Community Action for Rainbow Rights activists protesting a Mark Latham event, the leaders of Christian Lives Matters have retreated from public view.
The group’s Instagram account has been deactivated and its Facebook page has deleted all of the posts from this year. The accounts, run by leader Charlie Bakhos, have or had tens of thousands of followers and frequently amplified attacks on LGBTQIA+ people and groups.
Other than participating in the Day of the Unborn Child mass prayer and protest, Christian Lives Matter has been publicly dormant. But behind the scenes, the group’s members continue to fixate on the LGBTQIA+ community, support action against them and share conspiracy theories.
Group member Christian Sukkar, who said he intends to plead guilty to charges relating to his role in the LGBTQIA+ protester attack, defiantly defended himself on Tuesday outside court.
“It does send the right message: stay away from our church, stay away from our children,” he reportedly said.
Participants in a Christian Lives Matter-linked private group chat run by another organiser, Charlie Taouk, cheered on his comments. One person replied “God bless you” to a video of Sukkar. Another encouraged the group to support Sukkar, saying “what he said was 100% right”.
Another person shared a Snapchat video of a pair of men tearing up pride vinyl decals placed around Sydney for World Pride. Group chat members responded with comments like “Doing the Lord’s work” and “Not all Hero’s wear cape [sic]”.
In between discussion about bible verses and Easter celebrations, the group is rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation and anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment. Members share pictures of gender neutral toilets or gender educational materials.
When one member asked if former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet would have “allowed LGBTQ?” if he were still leading the state, another replied that it was irrelevant because the “agenda of the new world order will always continue”.
Without any signals from leadership, the group’s members have turned to vague promises about what’s next.
“Judgment day will come soon,” a member wrote.
