Chief Censor Bans The Three Faced Terrorist, a ‘documentary’ about the March 15 Mosque attacks

An online publication purporting to be a ‘documentary’ about the March 15 Mosque attacks has been called-in and classified by the Chief Censor as objectionable.

The publication, The Three Faced Terrorist, has been promoted on some online platforms and was released on February 22. It is largely made up of voice overs and edited clips from news coverage and interviews broadcast after the attacks. The second half of the publication shows the entirety of the banned March 15 Mosque attacks livestream.

“This is an abhorrent publication that appears to use the pretext of a ‘false flag’ conspiracy theory to republish a vile video produced by a terrorist killer,” said Chief Censor David Shanks.

“It’s maker does not seem to care about the pain and distress this will inflict on victims and their whanau, or its impact on New Zealanders generally.

“This exploitative film presents the same harm to the public as the March 15 livestream, while adding a layer of toxic disinformation. We have classified it as objectionable, just as the original livestream was. New Zealanders should not engage with this content, and they should report it if they see it. Downloading, sharing and viewing it is an offence, and we have let enforcement agencies including the Police and Department of Affairs know about our decision.”

A full written analysis and decision on this publication will be published shortly. If you are concerned something you have seen is illegal, email censorship@dia.govt.nz