Facebook has apologised for removing an anti-trans post by US evangelist Franklin Graham and for briefly banning him from the social network.

Graham, the head of Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse and the son of evangelical preacher Billy Graham, thanked Facebook for its apology, after he said he was blocked from using the platform for 24 hours last week over a post he made in April 2016.

“Thank you to Facebook for the apology, the admission that my April 9, 2016 post didn’t go against your Community Standards, and the corrective action taken,” Graham wrote on Facebook on December 30.

He uploaded a screenshot of an apology from Facebook.

“It looks like we made a mistake and removed something you posted from Facebook that didn’t go against our Community Standards,” Facebook’s message to Graham read.

“We want to apologize and let you know that we’ve restored your content and removed any blocks on your account related to this incorrect action.”

In a later post, Graham added: “I thank Facebook for their apology and I accept it. All truth is in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’

“I would encourage all Christians—as well as Facebook—to stand on God’s Word and His truth.”

Franklin Graham thanks Facebook for apology

Graham was reportedly banned from Facebook last week because of a post he made about North Carolina’s partly-repealed HB2 law in 2016, which was widely known as the “bathroom bill.”

This legislation meant that people were forced to use public bathrooms in accordance with the sex they were assigned at birth, stopping trans individuals from using the toilet that matched with their gender identity.

“I thank Facebook for their apology and I accept it.” —Franklin Graham

It sparked mass protests in the US, with companies and celebrities boycotting the state.

Franklin Graham criticises rocker Bruce Springsteen for boycotting North Carolina over anti-trans bathroom bill

Graham’s post concerned rockstar Bruce Springsteen, who had refused to play in North Carolina over the legislation.

“Bruce Springsteen, a long-time gay rights activist, has cancelled his North Carolina concert. He says the NC law #HB2 to prevent men from being able to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms is going “backwards instead of forwards,'” Graham posted in April 2016.

“Well, to be honest, we need to go back! Back to God. Back to respecting and honoring His commands.

“Back to common sense. Mr. Springsteen, a nation embracing sin and bowing at the feet of godless secularism and political correctness is not progress.”