Sydney Assyrian church bishop says he forgives his assailant

A bishop from an Assyrian church who was stabbed during a church service, has said he is getting better and has forgiven the person who attacked him. The police are investigating the riots that happened after the stabbing.

Two knife attacks happened in Sydney. One at a shopping center near Bondi beach on Saturday killed six people, and the other at a church in Sydney’s west on Monday. This has surprised the people of Sydney.

I am doing well and getting better very fast. “Don’t worry,” Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel said in a message on social media, his first public comments since the attack. I forgive the person who did this. I will pray for you and the person who told you to do this. I also forgive them.

Bishop Emmanuel, who is popular with young people on TikTok and has spoken against homosexuality, COVID vaccinations, and Islam in his church speeches, was hurt in the attack. The attack is believed to be a terrorist act driven by suspected religious extremism.

A young man has been arrested for attacking the bishop, and he is in the hospital under police supervision.

A group of angry people outside the church fought with the emergency workers and demanded that they give them the person they thought was the attacker.

New South Wales state Police Commissioner Karen Webb said a 19-year-old man, who was not a church member, was charged because of his part in the riot.

“Many people joined in the riot. ” Webb said it is really bad and gross during a news talk.

Additional investigators have been given the job to look into the riot. It hurt around 50 officers and ruined 20 police cars.

Bishop Emmanuel told his church members to stay calm and follow the law.

The police are checking things, and the Bondi mall opened on Thursday so people can go inside to honor the victims. The stores are still closed, and there are flowers laid out on the second floor. Businesses can start trading again from Friday.

“We’ve moved from being very surprised to not believing what happened to feeling very sad, and it will take a long time for people to understand and accept it,” said Paula Masselos, who is in charge of the local council, in an interview with ABC TV.

She said there will be a gathering with candles on Sunday, and there are many flowers and bouquets at a memorial that was made quickly.