Sky News
A prominent Sydney preacher is among four people who have been stabbed at an Orthodox Christian church in the western Sydney suburb of Wakeley on Monday evening, sparking a mass riot on the streets.
The incident is understood to have unfolded at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley about 7.15pm.
New South Wales Police earlier told SkyNews.com.au two people had been attacked but NSW Ambulance later clarified the figure was four.
Details of the attack are yet to be confirmed but the sole offender is in custody. Large crowds of people and multiple first responders remain at the scene.
“Officers arrested a male and he is assisting police with inquiries,” NSW Police said.
The offender remained inside the church for several hours while Riot Squad officers attempted to get the large crowd out of the way.
It is understood he was taken to a police vehicle about 10.20pm and was being transported to hospital.
The stabbing ordeal was livestreamed on the church’s Facebook account, with the graphic footage showing a Christian leader being attacked while saying Mass.
A man dressed in all black was seen approaching the Bishop before pulling out an instrument and stabbing him in the face.
The man then proceeded to stab him several more times in the chest after the Bishop fell to the ground. Panicked worshippers were seen rushing to his aid.
The victim is believed to be H.G. Mar Mari Emmanuel, who had been delivering Assyrian Bible Preaching at the church from 7pm, about 15 minutes before the attack.
He is member of the Assyrian Church of the East, an orthodox sect of Christianity
The four patients include a man in his 50s, a man in his 30s, a man in his 20s, and a man in his 60s.
One of the men is understood to be a police officer, according to 2GB’s Ben Fordham. NSW Police were not able to confirm this when contacted by Skynews.com.au
All four are being treated for lacerations, while the man in his 50s has been taken to Liverpool Hospital.
“The injured people suffered non-life threatening injuries and are being treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics,” police said. “The community is urged to avoid the area.”
A person watching Christ The Good Shepherd Church’s livestream said the bishop in question had been struck several times.
“I was watching the live stream, a young male attacked him, potentially with a weapon was hard to tell but was fast and numerous blows,” they wrote on Facebook.
“The church stepped in and then the live stream cut out and was removed. Please all pray four our beautiful and brave Bishop.”
Footage at the scenes show dozens of people bashing on ambulance windows as onlookers film a conflict occurring in the background.
“He’s a f**king dog,” one man can be heard saying.
Another video shows a physical confrontation in the crowd as one man throws a chair onto a mass of men pushing and shoving.
Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said he believed the Bishop would be “okay” after being taken to hospital.
“Bishops and priests they’re very very important in our community, they only preach love and peace, and to have this happen to one of them is horrific,” he told Sky News Australia.
“However I understand a lot of members in our community are really distraught but what is important is I believe that the bishop has been taken to hospital and should be okay.”
Riots immediately broke out on the streets of Fairfield, with the mayor calling for calm.
“I do call for calm. Police will do their job and please let’s not make the police’s job any harder,” Mr Carbone said.
“We live in difficult times right now… so I can understand frustration and the anger from the communities but I ask them as the mayor just to please be calm.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns also took to social media to make a plea for community peace.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and first responders who are working to keep us safe,” he wrote to X.
“It’s important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.
“We are a strong community in NSW and it’s important that we all stick together, particularly in the face of adversity.”
2GB’s Ben Fordham reported a police officer was among the injured, while also claiming Liverpool Hospital was “unofficially in lockdown”.
“They’re worried about what’s happening in the church which is not too far away,” Fordham told Sky News Australia.
“Things are so volatile outside this church following the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, they’ve had to deploy capsicum spray outside that church.”
Reporters at the scene say dozens of people have been capsicum sprayed, and some paramedics and police officers have also been attacked in the chaos.
Recent footage obtained by Sky News Australia shows what appears to be a brick being thrown at a police vehicle. At least one police vehicle has had its window smashed.
As of 10pm, police said a “large presence” remained at the scene.
The incident comes as the second mass stabbing for Sydney within days, after Saturday’s horrific events at Bondi Junction Westfield which saw six people killed and 12 others wounded.
