Sydney Church Attack: Video Of Teen Attacker Violently Stabbing Bishop Surfaces On Social Media

A 16-year-old boy stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Father Isaac Royel during a church service in Sydney, Australia. The attack was captured on video and shared on social media.

In a shocking incident at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church, an Orthodox Christian Church, in Wakeley situated in Sydney's west, Australia, a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Father Isaac Royel during a church service on Monday evening. The attack, which occurred just after 7 pm, left both victims with non-life-threatening injuries, requiring hospitalisation.

Several videos of the church stabbing incident have surfaced on social media. In a live-streamed video, a man can be seen approaching the bishop and he begins to strike him with a weapon. Onlookers then attempt to intervene while screams can be heard from the ensuing commotion.

Police arrested the teenager at the scene and were compelled to protect him within the church premises for his own safety.

(Trigger warning: These videos contain distressing visuals and mentions of violence. Viewer discretion is advised.)

According to New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, the assailant reportedly had his fingers cut off during the attack. However, it remains unclear whether the teenager inflicted the injuries upon himself or if they were caused in the commission of the crime. Minns stated, "The information we have is that it happened in the commission of the crime, not to him", as quoted by 9news.com.au.

The teenager had previous encounters with law enforcement, having been caught with a knife at a train station last November and also found with a knife at school in 2020. Despite being known to the police, he was released on a good behaviour bond.

Following the attack, tensions rose outside the church as police confronted an angry crowd demanding the perpetrator be handed over, news agency Reuters reported. 

Australian Police Term Church Stabbing As Terrorist Attack, PM Anthony Albanese Condemns Violence

Karen Webb, New South Wales State Police Commissioner, declared the incident a terrorist attack motivated by suspected religious extremism. She stated, "We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism", as quoted by Reuters. Police noted the premeditated nature of the attack, as the assailant travelled to the church, far from his home, armed with a knife.

According to 9news.com.au, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia condemned the attack, expressing solidarity with Bishop Emmanuel and Father Royel. IH Kauser, the national president and Grand Imam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Australia, denounced the violence, stating, "We extend our deepest sympathy to all those injured in the attack and wish them a speedy and complete recovery."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned violent extremism, emphasising the need for unity in the face of such incidents. He asserted, "We're a peace-loving nation. This is a time to unite, not divide, as a community, and as a country."

This attack comes in the wake of another stabbing incident in Bondi, Sydney, where six people were killed and 12 injured just three days earlier. 

Bishop Emmanuel had attracted controversy for his hardline views during the Covid pandemic as he dubbed lockdowns as "mass slavery", local media reported.

Mike Burgess, director-general of security for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), assured the public of thorough investigations into any potential threats. He stated, "It is prudent that we do this to determine there's no threats or immediate threats to security", as quoted by Reuters.