Sydney church stabbing a ‘terrorist’ attack as Facebook told to remove footage – live

Footage of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney shocked the world as it was broadcast live by the church’s YouTube channel.

Clips have since been shared across social media platforms X and Facebook, which has led to Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, issuing a 24-hour notice for the companies in charge to remove them.

She said that the footage had been deemed to be “material depicting gratuitous or offensive violence with a high degree of impact or detail”.

If Meta, which controls Facebook, and X don’t comply, the companies could face fines, Ms Inman Grant warned.

She said: “While the majority of mainstream social media platforms have engaged with us, I am not satisfied enough is being done to protect Australians from this most extreme and gratuitous violent material circulating online.

“That is why I am exercising my powers under the Online Safety Act to formally compel them to remove it. I have issued a notice to X requiring them to remove this content. A legal notice will also be sent to Meta this afternoon, and further notices are likely to follow. I will not hesitate to use further graduated powers at my disposal if there is noncompliance.”

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has praised the Frenchman who confronted Bondi Junction attacker Joel Cauchi for his “extraordinary bravery” and said he could stay in the country for as long as he wanted.

Damien Guerot, a French construction worker, has been dubbed by some as the “Bollard Man” after CCTV footage showed him confronting Cauchi with a bollard on an escalator during the deadly stabbing attack in Westfield Bondi Junction.

Six people were killed in the attack and 12 injured before Cauchi was shot dead by a police officer.

Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra: “I say this to Damien Guerot – who is dealing with his visa applications – that you are welcome here, you are welcome to stay for as long as you like.

A 15-year-old boy arrested following the stabbing of a bishop at a church service in Sydney on Monday has suffered “severe” hand injuries, police have confirmed.

Footage streamed online of the service at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the suburb of Wakeley showed a person walking up to the altar before appearing to attack Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel.

They were then overpowered by worshippers who rushed to the bishop’s aid.

It has since emerged that the teen suspect in the attack was taken to hospital.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Holland commended the congregation for stepping in during the incident before calling police. When asked if the accused teen’s fingers had been severed, he said the hand injuries were “severe”.

The terrorism categorisation allows more law enforcement resources to be focused on the crime. The declaration also gives police expanded powers to stop and search people, premises and vehicles without a warrant.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the teen’s comments and actions pointed to a religious motive for the attack. She didn’t detail the wording of the comments that led her to believe he had been religiously motivated.

“We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious-motivated extremism and of course the intimidation of the public through that person’s acts, by attending that church, whilst it was being live-streamed, intimidating not only the parishioners in attendance but those parishioners who were watching online and subsequently, those people that turned up to the church on the outside and the subsequent riot that happened,” Ms Webb said.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation’s main domestic spy agency, and Australian Federal Police have joined state police in a counterterrorism task force to investigate who else was potentially involved.

The church said in a statement today the 53-year-old Iraq-born bishop’s condition was “improving”.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has a strong social media following and is outspoken on a range of issues. He proselytises to both Jews and Muslims and is critical of liberal Christian denominations.

He also speaks out on global political issues and laments the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

The bishop, described in local media as a figure sometimes seen as divisive on issues such as Covid-19 restrictions, was in national news last year with comments about gender.

While one task force will look into the background of the attacker, the other will work to identify those in the rioting mob that attacked a number of police officers and paramedics responding to the scene, reported News.com.au.

The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns urged the community to remain calm and “stick together.” Religious leaders expressed shock and condolences.

Australians were still in shock after a lone assailant stabbed six people to death in a Sydney shopping mall on Saturday and injured more than a dozen others.

Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Andrew Holland suggested the weekend attack heightened the community’s response to the church stabbing.“

Given that there has been incidents in Sydney the last few days with knives involved, obviously there’s concerns,” he said. “We’ve asked for everyone to think rationally at this stage. We spoke to community leaders and members of the community to speak to their local people, to try and keep people calm.”

A nine-month-old baby girl was left fighting for her life after her mother was killed in the rampage, which ended when Cauchi was gunned down by a hero police officer.

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