WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
SYDNEY
Bishop Mar Mari stabbed and attacked in terrorist attack during Mass pic.twitter.com/eSTWO3HV4p
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) April 15, 2024
UPDATES
- Police declared incident a terror attack
- Alleged attacker is 15
- Suspect lost a finger during the alleged attack
Thousands of furious Christians gathered outside a church in western Sydney after a bishop was stabbed as he delivered mass on Monday night, demanding police hand over the suspected Muslim extremist and vowing to defend their religion.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was mid-sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley when the alleged attacker ran at him and stabbed him repeatedly before worshippers stopped the frenzied alleged assault. Police are yet to reveal what weapon was allegedly used.
The Assyrian service was being streamed online and the huge crowds descended on the area, shouting “bring him out” and “eye for an eye” while police formed a line around the church where the suspect was being held.
An angry crowd chants “bring him out” waiting for the suspect caught on livestream stabbing their Bishop Mar Mari inside their church. pic.twitter.com/zxRNb5tOTE
— Chriscoveries (@Chriscoveries) April 15, 2024
Young men faced off with officers, some throwing projectiles and others smashing the windows of police vehicles before pepper spray was deployed.
“I’m here to defend my religion, defend my church,” one man told livestreamers after the clashes.
“Christians are under attack.”
Another man with blood on his jeans told journalist Chriscoveries, who livestreamed the protest, that the alleged attacker kept saying “Allahu Akbar” as worshippers disarmed him.
Chriscoveries later wrote on X: “There was absolutely no need to clear the church like this tonight. I’ve covered hundreds of protests, and I recognise the need to maintain order.
“But the women, elderly, and church sisters inside didn’t deserve this.”
There was absolutely no need to clear the church like this tonight.
I’ve covered hundreds of protests, and I recognise the need to maintain order.
But the women, elderly, and church sisters inside didn’t deserve this. pic.twitter.com/HchZftft6a— Chriscoveries (@Chriscoveries) April 15, 2024
Just before 11pm The Christ The Good Shepherd Church released a statement confirming the bishop and another man – Father Isaac – were in a stable condition in hospital.
“We ask for your prayers at this time. It is the bishop’s and father’s wishes that you also pray for the perpetrator,” the statement read.
“We also kindly ask anyone at the church premises to leave in peace, as our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ teaches us.”
Video from inside the church shows the alleged Islamic attacker speaking in Arabic while being restrained by police.
He was later removed from the church in an armoured police vehicle and transported to hospital, where he is being treated while in police custody. Police did not disclose the name of the hospital out of fear of reprisals.
Five men were injured, including a man in his 50s believed to be the Emmanuel in a serious condition with severe cuts, a man in his 30s with multiple lacerations, a man in his 60s with cuts to his arms, the suspect in his 20s with cuts to his hand, and a police officer with head injuries.
