Sydney church stabbing: Sonny Bill Williams sends message to bishop who was attacked during service as riots break out

Sonny Bill Williams says he is ‘praying’ for a Sydney bishop who was stabbed on Monday night, as Australia reels from a second horrific attack in days.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, western Sydney, just after 7pm on Monday when a man dressed in a dark hoodie walked up to the altar and stabbed him several times.

Gruesome footage of the incident, which was broadcast live on the church’s YouTube page, shows Bishop Emmanuel looking up in surprise as the attacker suddenly receives blows to his face and head.

That footage quickly circulated on social media, with former All Blacks star Williams, 38, sharing it from Andrew Tate’s X account with a message to Bishop Emmanuel.

“Praying for his full recovery,” he posted with an open palm emoji.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service he held in Sydney

The horror incident caused unrest outside the church as hundreds of people gathered in protest, throwing bottles and rocks at a hastily erected police barrier, while chants of ‘an eye for an eye’ and ‘bring him out’ could be heard.

Immediately after the attack, images emerged of the alleged attacker being pinned to his front by at least three people, including a police officer, as he laughed and appeared to mock his captors.

One man, with blood visible on his jeans, sits with his legs straddling the alleged attacker’s head.

“People are praying and you (presumably) come to do this?” says the man, lightly slapping him on the cheek.

The police officer injects: ‘Stop, please let go. You’re going to make it worse.’

But then the man holding the camera pulls the other man’s leg away, revealing the alleged attacker’s face.

He smiles and appears to be laughing when the man holding the camera says, “You’re a fucking idiot, you’re going to fix it.”

The alleged attacker then appears to say, “Do you think they will hurt my brother?” as the police officers try to lead the men away.

The situation outside the church and in the surrounding streets remains tense as the New South Wales Public Order Riot squad has been deployed to the scene.

“A major police operation is underway and the public is urged to avoid the area,” a spokesperson said.

NSW Ambulance said four people were injured in the incident and taken to hospital.

After the stabbing, completely outnumbered groups of police officers gathered as bottles and stones were hurled at them.

Former All Black Sonny Bill, 38, sent his prayers on social media after the attack

Some in the crowd cheered as car windows were smashed.

Footage emerged on social media showing a ladder being used to smash a window at the church.

Police attempted to set up a perimeter at nearby Welcome Park, but were broken several times by rioters running toward the church.

They then used tear gas to force their officers to leave the area.

Some of those present were heard shouting: “They are attacking us with gas.”

It comes just 48 hours after six people were murdered in Westfield Bondi Junction by a crazed knifeman.

Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed five women and a male security guard to death and injured several others before being shot by a police officer.

A NSW Police spokesperson said Bishop Emmanuel suffered “non-life-threatening injuries”.

“Officers have arrested a man and he is assisting police with inquiries,” the spokesperson added.

There were hostile scenes outside Christ The Good Shepherd Church on Monday evening

Worshipers gathered outside the church and tensions were palpable after the attack

Police were deployed to tackle the situation in Sydney’s western suburbs

Daily Mail Australia approached NSW Ambulance for comment.

Bishop Emmanuel has a large social media following, with over 17,000 followers on Facebook.

He rose to prominence during the pandemic when he branded Sydney’s Covid lockdown “mass slavery” and claimed vaccines are useless because “normal” living will boost immunity.

Christ The Good Shepherd Church has almost 200,000 subscribers on YouTube.