Sydney bishop forgives attacker

Police charge 19-year-old man in connection with violence outside church in New South Wales, writes Laura Chung

ASydney bishop brutally stabbed during a live-streamed sermon said yesterday he is recovering and forgives his attacker, declaring: “You are my son”.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was slashed in the head and chest by a 16-year-old suspect on Monday, sparking a riot by followers of the Assyrian Christian church in western Sydney.

“I am doing fine, recovering very quickly,” said the bishop of Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley.

The area is a hub for Sydney’s small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria.

Bishop Emmanuel has an online following of almost 200,000, courting controversy with his criticism of Covid-19 vaccines, lockdowns and Islam.

“There is no need to be worried or concerned,” the bishop said in a YouTube video released yesterday, with audio of his voice accompanied by a photo of him in vestments.

“I forgive whoever has done this act and I say to him: You are my son, I love you and I will always pray for you. And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well.”

The teenage suspect was taken to a Sydney hospital after the attack.

Senior police said mid-week his treatment was expected to last for several days.

FAMILY IN ‘SHOCK’

The bishop called for calm after the stabbing sparked angry scenes outside the church.

Hundreds of congregants and members of the community rushed to the site on the night of the attack.

Some hurled rocks and other projectiles that allegedly wounded about 50 police officers, including one who broke their jaw, and damaged several police cars.

“I want you to always be calm,” the bishop said.

“We need to be always law-abiding citizens as well. We need to cooperate with the police directives whether it be at a state level or a federal level,” he said.

“We should never forget that we are very blessed to be Aussies, but above all we are Christians and we need to act like it.”

A western Sydney doctor who is in contact with the teenager’s family told AFP they were in “shock” and “disbelief about the horrible action their son has done”.

Jamal Rifi said the family had also been unnerved at how quickly the event had been labelled a “terrorist” act, without speaking to the boy or his family first.

The boy’s mother told Dr Rifi her son had anger and mental health issues.

‘TERRIBLE’ UNTRUTHS

Dr Rifi said Australia was a diverse community and despite the differences in culture and faith, he had been reassured that so many had called for calm and denounced any retaliation attempts.

“Reciprocal respect is the core that preserves social cohesion,” he said.

New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb said yesterday the teenager remained in hospital and authorities were yet to question him.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns meanwhile railed at misinformation and graphic content of online posts relating to the attack still circulating.

“It proves to be very difficult to foster community cohesion and harmony, to calm down the community, to send messages of unity in a difficult period, when social media firms continue to disseminate terrible pieces of information, untruths, rumours that circulate like wildfire through a febrile and anxious community,” he said yesterday.

Police charged a 19-year-old man on Wednesday in connection with the violence outside the church and have warned there will be more arrests in the coming days.

‘‘ I forgive whoever has done this act and I say to him: You are my son, I love you and I will always pray for you.

BISHOP MAR MARI EMMANUEL ASSYRIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCH, SYDNEY