Sydney church stabbing: crowds clash with police after bishop allegedly stabbed during mass
Security officers stand guard outside Orthodox Assyrian church in Sydney, Australia on Monday. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Baker
Hundreds of people reportedly clashed with police in south-west Sydney on Monday night after a prominent Orthodox Christian leader was allegedly stabbed at the altar of his church.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying mass at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a person approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. Three worshippers were also injured in the alleged attack.
A live stream of the mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel, who gained a large online following during the Covid pandemic, before the footage was cut off.
Officers attached to Fairfield police area command attended the church on Welcome Street, Wakeley .
Police said later that they had arrested a 15-year-old at the scene and were forced to hold him at the church for his own safety.
Officers clashed with a large crowd of several hundred people that gathered outside the church in the wake of the incident to protest about the stabbing.
Riot police were called in to forcibly move the crowd on after police cars were smashed.
Police said they were still working to restore order hours after the stabbing, as a helicopter flew overhead urging the crowd to leave the area.
“A large police response is underway,” NSW Police said on Monday night.
“Multiple police resources from a number of commands and specialist units attended.”
Emmanuel and another priest were in a stable condition, the church said in a statement posted on social media.
“We ask for your prayers at this time.”
“We also kindly ask anyone at the church to leave in peace as our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, teaches us.”
Amid tensions in western Sydney, Inamul Haq Kauser, national president and Grand Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said the community unequivocally condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms”.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to all those injured in the attack and wish them a speedy and complete recovery.” State premier Chris Minns urged the community remain calm.
“Disturbing scenes tonight in Wakeley tonight,” he said in a post to X.
Disturbing scenes tonight in Wakeley tonight.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) April 15, 2024
I have received a briefing from the Commissioner of Police and NSW Health on the situation.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and first responders who are working to keep us safe.
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“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and first responders who are working to keep us safe.”
“It’s important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.”
The injured people suffered non-life threatening injuries and were treated by NSW ambulance paramedics.
NSW Ambulance said they were called to the church about 7.15pm and sent paramedic teams to the scene.
A man his 30s was also treated for lacerations and taken to hospital.
A man in his 20s was being treated for a cut to his hand and a man in his 60s treated for a laceration to his arm at the scene.
The incident comes with Sydney still reeling from the shocking killings of six people at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday.
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