After a stabbing incident at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney, a large crowd outside the church became hostile towards police, throwing bricks and other objects at them. This resulted in injuries to police officers and 20 damaged police vehicles, 10 of which are now unusable. Police Commissioner Karen Webb condemned the violence and stated that the rioters would be prosecuted. Premier Chris Minns called for calm and respect for the law during what he described as a “major, major terrorism investigation.”
During the incident, NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan reported that paramedics responded to 30 patients over a period of about 3½ hours, with the crowd growing to include hundreds of people in a rapidly evolving situation. Paramedics were forced to retreat into the church for their safety, with six of them unable to leave for fear of facing threats from the crowd. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the actions of the crowd turning on the police as completely unacceptable, especially when the police were there to protect the community.
Graphic footage of the incident captured on a livestream showed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel being attacked by a male wielding an implement. The assailant stabbed the bishop in the chest and continued to stab him multiple times as worshippers rushed to intervene. The bishop was left injured on the floor while parishioners applied bandages to his wounds. The attacker was detained by a police officer with footage showing him smiling as he was restrained.
Federal MP for Fowler Dai Le, whose electorate includes the church, expressed shock at the stabbing, particularly coming so soon after the Westfield Bondi Junction mass stabbings. Bishop Emmanuel, described as a wonderful leader of the Assyrian community, was targeted in the attack. The Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Muslim community issued a statement condemning the attack on the bishop and emphasizing the importance of working together to ensure the safety and security of all Australians.
Faith NSW chief executive Murray Norman emphasized that an attack on one faith is an attack on all, and called for unity against hate and violence. He urged the community to come together in the face of such incidents, stating that they serve as a reminder to stamp out such vile conduct from society. As the community mourns the recent tragedies, including the church stabbing, Norman expressed confidence that they would emerge stronger and more united in the face of adversity.
