On Tuesday, Australian police declared a knife attack during a church service in Sydney, which left at least four individuals injured, including a bishop with a significant online following, as a potential terrorist incident.
A male teenager was apprehended at the scene on Monday, leading to tense confrontations between angry residents and law enforcement officers at the church in Wakeley, a suburb located approximately 30 km (18 miles) west of downtown Sydney.
This incident marked the second major stabbing attack within a span of three days, following a knife assault at a beachside mall in the Bondi area that resulted in the deaths of six people.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church was addressing an evening service on Monday when an assailant approached him and launched a knife attack, as captured in a video from a livestream on the church’s social media page.
The congregation reacted with horror as the unidentified perpetrator repeatedly stabbed the priest in the head and chest, according to the footage. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the attack.
Police arrested a 15-year-old suspect at the scene, and due to safety concerns amid an agitated crowd outside demanding the attacker’s release, they opted to detain him within the church premises in Wakeley.
Two witnesses informed Reuters the gang threw rocks at police. Greater than 100 law enforcement officials have been finally known as in to take care of the unrest, and two have been taken to hospital with accidents, police mentioned. Reuters noticed two males pepper sprayed.
“There was a lot anger as a result of the bishop is beloved by them, he’s beloved on my own as effectively, he preaches in regards to the Lord and we love the Lord,” mentioned an area resident who gave her identify as Canny.
The perpetrator was taken to an undisclosed location.
The New South Wales ambulance service mentioned 4 individuals had been injured within the assault. In a Fb publish, the church mentioned bishop Emmanuel and a priest, Father Isaac Royel, have been amongst these harm. Police mentioned no accidents have been life threatening.
“We ask in your prayers right now. It’s the Bishop’s and Father’s needs that you simply additionally pray for the perpetrator,” the church’s publish mentioned.
Emmanuel was ordained a priest in 2009 after which a bishop in 2011, in accordance with the church’s web site. The bishop has change into a well-liked determine on social media, with clips of his sermons racking up a whole lot of hundreds of views on platforms together with YouTube and TikTok.
Emmanuel grew to become well-known for his hardline views through the pandemic, native media reported on the time, with the bishop describing COVID lockdowns as “mass slavery.”
A latest sermon posted on-line by followers reveals him declare the United Nations was based by Devil.
Religion teams condemn violence
Amidst the aftermath of the recent mass stabbing incident in Bondi, the latest attack has triggered condemnation from the city’s religious communities, with authorities urging calm.
New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns swiftly convened a late-night gathering of religious leaders in response to the assault, where unanimous condemnation of all forms of violence was expressed.
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