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Hundreds of people reportedly clashed with police in south-west Sydney on Monday night after a prominent Orthodox Christian leader was stabbed at the altar of his church.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying mass at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. Three worshippers were also injured in the alleged attack.
A live stream of the mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel, who gained a large online following during the Covid pandemic, before the footage was cut off.
Officers attached to Fairfield police area command attended the church on Welcome Street, Wakeley and a man was arrested and taken into custody.
Police officers clashed with a large crowd of several hundred people that gathered outside the church in the wake of the incident to protest about the stabbing.
Riot police were called in to forcibly move the crowd on after police cars were smashed.
Police said they were still working to restore order hours after the stabbing, as a helicopter flew overhead urging the crowd to leave the area.
“A large police response is underway,” NSW Police said on Monday night. “Multiple police resources from a number of commands and specialist units attended.”
Police urged people to avoid the area while state premier Chris Minns also urged the community remain calm.
“Disturbing scenes tonight in Wakeley tonight,” he said in a post to X. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and first responders who are working to keep us safe.”
“It’s important that the community remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.”
The injured people suffered non-life threatening injuries and were treated by NSW ambulance paramedics.
NSW Ambulance said they were called to the church about 7.15pm and sent paramedic teams to the scene.
A spokesman said they had treated a man in his 50s for multiple cuts before taking him to Liverpool hospital.
A man his 30s was also treated for lacerations and taken to hospital.
A man in his 20s was being treated for a cut to his hand and a man in his 60s treated for a laceration to his arm at the scene.
The incident comes with Sydney still reeling from the shocking killings of six people at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday.
