The bizarre reason a former Labor staffer was visited by federal cops for posting a SONG on social media
- Bassel Tallal, 30, posted ‘Kill Bill’ online
- Mr Tallal is running against Bill Shorten
- AFP visited Mr Tallal after a complaint
A former Labor staffer was visited by federal police after he posted a screenshot of a song on social media – only for it to be interpreted as a potential death threat against his political rival.
Bassel Tallal, 30, is running against cabinet minister Bill Shorten, 55, in two separate critical elections for Victorian Labor as members get set to vote on the party’s administration committee for the first time in three years.
On Thursday, he posted a screenshot on his Instagram account of US singer SZA’s hit song ‘Kill Bill’.
However, the post was reported to police and the AFP visited his Melbourne home on Friday night after receiving a complaint.
Mr Tallal has denied the track was a reference to Mr Shorten, 55.
A former Labor staffer was visited by police after he posted a screenshot of SZA’s hit track ‘Kill Bill’ to social media – with cops warning it could be interpreted as a death threat against cabinet minister Bill Shorten
The song, which title references the 2003 Quentin Tarantino assassin movie – features lyrics including ‘I might kill my ex, not the best idea / Killed his girlfriend next, how’d I get here? / Rather be in Hell than alone’.
Police warned Mr Tallal about how the Instagram post could be interpreted, Labor sources say.
He then deleted the post. The AFP have said they won’t be taking further action.
‘This is a bizarre response to an innocuous social media post about a popular song. If Mr Shorten is offended by my poor music taste, then I apologise to him,’ Mr Tallal told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Bassel Tallal, 30, (pictured) a former staffer for ex-senator Stephen Conroy and Defence Minister Richard Marles, has denied it was a reference to Mr Shorten, 55
Mr Tallal is running against Mr Shorten (pictured) in two separate critical elections for Victorian Labor as members get set to vote on the party’s administration committee for the first time in three years
He had previously posted a similar story on Instagram about the same song in December 15.
Labor Victoria members had their voting rights removed in 2020, after an investigation revealed ‘industrial-scale’ branch-stacking.
Their rights have been reinstated ahead of the party’s conference in June.
The upcoming elections have led to tension between members linked to Shorten and those allied with Marles and Conroy.
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