2024 Wakeley church stabbing

2024 Wakeley church stabbing
People rioting on Welcome Street with police presence
Map indicating the location of the incident
Location	Christ The Good Shepherd Church, Wakeley, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33.8728°S 150.9062°E / -33.8728; 150.9062
Date	15 April 2024 7:15pm  – (Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10:00))
Attack type	Mass stabbing
Weapon	Knife
Deaths	0
Injured	7 (including alleged perpetrator)
Motive	Religious terrorism
Accused	Unnamed 16-year-old

On 15 April 2024, in Wakeley, a western suburb of Sydney, Australia, an assailant entered Christ The Good Shepherd Church and stabbed six people, including Assyrian Christian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. While no one was killed, it was the second mass stabbing in the city in three days, following the 2024 Bondi Junction stabbings.

Background

Wakeley hosts a small Assyrian Christian community, many of whom are refugees from Iraq and Syria. A bishop since 2011, Mar Mari Emmanuel broke away from the Ancient Church of the East and established his own Christian denomination. He was also a prominent critic of lockdowns and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and espoused conservative stances on issues such as LGBT rights. Clips from his live-streamed church services have been reuploaded throughout social media and have amassed millions of viewers.

Events

The stabbings took place after 7:00 pm in the suburb of Wakeley, 34 kilometres (21 mi) south-west of the Sydney CBD. An assailant wearing a black jumper reportedly entered Christ The Good Shepherd Church located on Welcome Street and attacked six people with a knife, starting with the bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, whom he approached at the pulpit and stabbed multiple times in the head and upper body, while yelling out “Allahu Akbar”

The event occurred during a live-stream of Emmanuel preaching whom the congregation gathered around after he was stabbed. According to Charbel Saliba, Deputy Mayor of Fairfield, he witnessed the bishop putting his hand over the attacker immediately after being stabbed and said "May the Lord Jesus Christ save you".

Aftermath

Casualties

Five people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, including a man in his 20s, a man in his 30s, a man in his 60s, a priest named Isaac Royel and the bishop. Another man in his 50s who had multiple cuts and said to be in serious condition was taken to Liverpool Hospital, which was placed under a partial lockdown.

The alleged assailant was also treated for injuries to his hand, which were not intentionally caused by the parishioners, but during the tussle. Rumours had promptly spread through the crowd outside and on social media that the vigilantes had "chopped off" some of his fingers, which was untrue. During the events, 11 ambulances were sent to the church. The weapon was allegedly a switchblade, but the attacker had not opened it fully before jabbing the weapon.

Suspect and legal proceedings

A suspect was subsequently apprehended and taken into custody. The suspect, while not as yet named, was first reported to be 15 years old, later revised to 16. He was known to police but was not on a terrorism watch list and was not a parishioner of the church. He had previously been convicted in January 2024 for several weapons offences as well as stalking, intimidation and damaging property, but was later released on a good behavior bond by a court in Sydney. Footage showed the alleged attacker smiling while held to the floor by a police officer and after being apprehended by churchgoers. The assailant's identity was withheld due to juvenile laws in New South Wales.

The stabbing was declared a "terrorist attack" by the police, and that there were "elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism." The teenager allegedly screamed “Allahu Akbar” after thrusting a knife into the bishop's face, neck and torso around eight times, in addition to a remark about the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In a video released by one of the churchgoers, the teenager can be heard speaking Arabic, saying "if he didn't insult my prophet and religion, I wouldn't have come here". At a press conference in Canberra, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director General Mike Burgess said that the intelligence agency was aware of alleged references made by the assailant pertaining to the bishop having insulted the prophet Muhammad.

A counter-terrorism task force was set up to investigate the attack, particularly on whether other persons were involved. The task force consisted of officials from the New South Wales Police Force, the Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

Riots

More than 100 police personnel were deployed to the church. Large crowds estimated to be composed of about 500 people gathered outside the church and the hospital, where it seemed that the alleged attacker was being held. The crowd screamed "bring him out!" as police and paramedics remained inside the church with the alleged offender for a few hours. The crowds clashed with police and attacked police vehicles. Riot police used pepper spray on the tumultuous crowd outside the church. Police helicopters encircled the area, broadcasting the message: "All persons, please vacate the area immediately."

A total of 30 people were injured during the riots, of which seven were hospitalised. Several police officers were also injured. including one who suffered a broken jaw. Ten police vehicles were destroyed, while paramedics were "holed up" inside the church for more than three hours due to the violence. Several houses were also broken into. Police operations ended before 1:00 am on 16 April. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb vowed that the violent rioters involved will be "prosecuted".

Reactions

The Christ the Good Shepherd's administration requested prayers for the victims of the attack as well as the alleged perpetrator in accordance with Bishop Emmanuel and Father Isaac's wishes. It also called on those that had gathered at the church to "leave in peace".

Noting that Bishop Emmanuel prayed for his attacker after the attack, Councillor Steve Christou of the Cumberland City Council stated "It just shows the remarkable courage of a man and the forgiveness he has within him to pray for his alleged attacker."

The attack was condemned by other religious leaders, groups and organisations including the Australian National Imams Council and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry following a meeting with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who also expressed sympathies with victims and emergency services and called for calm.

Frank Carbone, the mayor of the City of Fairfield, said the attack and subsequent riot was "a very emotional situation", adding that the community was "very upset" over the incident.