Christ The Good Shepherd Church, Wakeley: Heartstopping moment worshippers hold down alleged 'smiling stabber' inside church - as riot erupts on Sydney's streets

The moment worshippers pinned down the 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing a bishop in the middle of a church sermon in Sydney has been captured on video.

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

Horrifying footage of the incident, which was being broadcast live on the church's YouTube page, shows Bishop Emmanuel look up in astonishment as the attacker suddenly rains down blows on his face and head.

Father Isaac Royel was also among those injured in the chaos. 

The horror incident sparked unrest outside the church as hundreds gathered in protest, hurling bottles and bricks at a hastily-erected police barrier as chants of 'an eye for an eye' and 'bring him out' could be heard.

It's understood the crowds believed the alleged attacker was still inside the building.

Footage immediately after the attack has emerged of the alleged attacker being pinned down on his front by at least three people, including a police officer, as he smiles and appears to mock his captors.

The moment worshippers pinned down the boy accused of stabbing a bishop in the middle of a sermon has been captured on video

Bishop Mari Mari Emmanuel (left) and Father Isaac Royel (right) were both injured

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

'People are praying and you come and (allegedly) do this?', the man says as he lightly slaps him on his cheek.

The police officer interjects: 'Stop, just let go, please. You're going to make it worse.'

But then the man holding the camera pulls the other man's leg away to reveal the alleged attacker's face.

He is smiling and appears to laugh as the man holding the camera says 'you're a f***ing idiot, you're going to cop it'.

The alleged attacker then appears to say: 'You think they'll hurt my brother?' as the police officers try to usher the men away.

The situation outside the church and on surrounding streets remained tense.

'Police were in the process of removing the young person from the church when it was identified that a large crowd had gathered outside,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland told media at a late-night press conference.

'A decision was made to retain the young person in the church for his safety.'

Up to 100 police officers, including riot squad cops, were called to the scene along with POL AIR.

'A number of police were injured and multiple police vehicles were damaged,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Holland said.

The church asked crowds gathering outside to go home and confirmed Bishop Emmanuel and Father Isaac were in a stable condition in hospital.

'We ask for your prayers at this time,' a spokesman said,

'It is the Bishop and Father's wishes that you also pray for the perpetrator. We also kindly ask anyone at the Church premises to leave in peace, as our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, teaches us.' 

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was preaching at The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney's west on Monday evening when a boy dressed in black walked up to the altar and stabbed him multiple times (pictured)

Bishop Emmanuel (left) gained notoriety during the pandemic when he slammed Sydney’s Covid lockdown as 'mass slavery' and claimed vaccines are futile because living 'normally' will boost immunity/ Father Isaac Royel is pictured right

NSW Ambulance said that four people were injured in the incident and had been taken to Liverpool Hospital - which was placed into lockdown when angry crowds swarmed the facility.

The alleged attacker suffered a hand injury and is now at an undisclosed location. 

Outside the church, groups of police officers, completely outnumbered, huddled together as bottles and bricks were hurled at them. Two police officer were injured in the chaos.

Some in the crowd cheered as car windows were smashed.

Footage on social media appeared to show a ladder being used to smash down a window of the church.

Police tried to hold a perimeter in nearby Welcome Park but were broken on a number of occasions by rioters who ran towards the church. 

There were hostile scenes outside the church as worshippers gathered outside the church

Worshippers outside the church in the aftermath of the stabbing as tensions threatened to boil over 

Police deployed tear gas to allow their officers to move out of the area

The police were heavily armed in their efforts to quell a riot outside the church

A congregation of police officers gather outside the church in Sydney's Wakeley

They then deployed tear gas to allow their officers to move out of the area. 

Some of those gathered could be heard shouting 'they attack us with gas'.

'We are a little bit disappointed in the community themselves. A number of houses have been damaged. They've broken into a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police,' Acting Assistant Commissioner Holland said.

'They've thrown weapons and items at the church itself. It was obviously people who wanted to get access to the young person.' 

Police have vowed to ramp up patrols on mosques and places of worship in the area as tensions run high.

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 he was gunned down by a police officer. 

A spokesperson for NSW Police said Bishop Emmanuel suffered 'non-life threatening injuries'. 

'Officers arrested a male and he is assisting police with inquiries,' the spokesperson added.   

Daily Mail Australia approached NSW Ambulance for comment.  

Christ The Good Shepherd Church is in Wakeley, in Sydney's west

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

He gained notoriety during the pandemic when he slammed Sydney’s Covid lockdown as 'mass slavery' and claimed vaccines are futile because living 'normally' will boost immunity.

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