An unidentified man attacked an Assyrian Orthodox bishop during a service on Monday
Clashes have broken out between members of the Assyrian Orthodox community and police in Sydney, Australia after a knife-wielding man attacked and stabbed a prominent cleric on Monday.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, hundreds of people gathered outside the church, presumably believing that the perpetrator was still inside. A police riot squad and a helicopter were quickly deployed to the area in an effort to contain the crowd.
As tensions rose, the mob began throwing projectiles at the officers, with authorities reporting that two were “injured and a number of police vehicles sustained damage.”
One of the officers is said to have been “hit with a metal object and sustained a twisted knee and a chipped tooth,” while his colleague ended up with a fractured jaw after being struck with a brick.
Both have been taken to a hospital.
Sky News Australia, citing reporters at the scene, has said that police used pepper spray outside the church, with dozens of people apparently affected.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described the unfolding events as “disturbing.”
He urged the local community to “remain calm and continue to listen and act to the directions of Police and Emergency Services.”
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