sport news Sydney church stabbing: Sonny Bill Williams sends message to bishop who was ... trends now
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.
A bishop who was attacked on Monday night has received a message from Sonny Bill Williams
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service he gave in Sydney
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
