15-year-old boy arrested for stabbing Bishop at Sydney church

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after a bishop and several churchgoers were stabbed during a sermon in Sydney. The incident took place at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the suburb of Wakeley, where at least four people were stabbed, but fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening.

The attack led to unrest as hundreds of people gathered outside the church, clashing with police, resulting in two officers being injured. Vehicles were damaged as individuals threw stones, bricks, and bottles, prompting police to use pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

The suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was treated for wounds to his hand and taken to a secure location. Police emphasized that there is no indication that the two events are connected.

The bishop targeted in the attack, Mar Mari Emmanuel, is a popular and controversial figure ordained by the Assyrian Orthodox Church in 2011. He has garnered millions of views on social media for his sermons. However, he has had a turbulent relationship with the church, reportedly being suspended for defying canons and forming a breakaway church.

The incident has shocked the Wakeley neighborhood, a hub for Sydney’s small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom have fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria. The motive behind the attack remains unknown as the injured individuals, all men aged between 20 and 70, receive medical treatment.