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 horrifying attack in a matter of days.

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 man 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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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 injects: '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 remains tense with the New South Wales Public Order Riot squad deployed to the scene.

'A large police response is underway and the public is urged to avoid the area,' a spokesperson said.

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

Following the stabbing, groups of police officers, completely outnumbered, huddled together as bottles and bricks were hurled at them.

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. 

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'.

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. 

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.