A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after a stabbing at a Sydney church that police have declared a religiously motivated terrorist act. The attack occurred during mass at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, leaving a bishop, a priest, and churchgoers with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident was livestreamed and quickly sparked unrest in the suburb, with hundreds gathering outside the church and clashing with police. Two officers were injured, one with a broken jaw, and ten police cars were destroyed. Paramedics were forced to shelter inside the church for over three hours.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the bishop and priest were undergoing surgery and were 'lucky to be alive'. The suspect allegedly made religiously centred comments as he approached the bishop. Police believe the attack was intended to intimidate both those present and those watching online.
The teenager was known to police but not on any terror watch list. State Premier Chris Minns confirmed the suspect had previous knife crime charges, including being found with a blade at school in 2020. The alleged offender has undergone surgery for finger injuries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting of national security agencies, calling the attack 'disturbing' and urging the public not to take the law into their own hands. The government has ordered social media platforms to remove offensive content related to the attack within 24 hours or face fines.
The stabbing comes days after a separate attack at a Sydney shopping centre left seven dead. Police have assembled a strike force to find those involved in the subsequent riot, warning that any tit-for-tat violence will be met with the full force of the law.
