New South Wales (NSW) authorities have publicised the images of 12 men alleged to be involved in a riot following the recent stabbing of an Assyrian bishop.
The state police force is seeking assistance from the public to help identify the suspects as the incident is still under investigation.
During a live-streamed sermon on April 15, a 16-year-old boy who had recently converted to Islam allegedly stabbed Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel multiple times while he was speaking.
The suspect was arrested and later charged with terrorism as police found he was motivated by extreme religious ideologies.
The incident sparked a riot, with a crowd of hundreds from the local community gathering outside the church, chanting and throwing bricks at police.
The riot caused dozens of police officers to be injured and their vehicles damaged.
The police have charged three men for their roles in the riot and are currently chasing after 50 people who were believed to have gathered at the church “simply to cause problems.”
On April 22, the NSW Police Force released the photos of 12 men who they wanted to investigate.
Superintendent Andrew Evans said the 12 suspects were wanted because of the violence they displayed and the aggressive nature of their actions.
“Someone in the community knows who they are.”
According to the released photos, one of the suspects wore black jeans with a black shirt wrapped around his face.
He also had a tattoo of Jesus Christ on his stomach and some other tattoos on his left arm.
Another suspect had a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, with receding dark brown hair and a beard.
He was clad in a black jumper, grey pants, and black shoes and carried a grey shoulder bag.
Meanwhile, another suspect was shown wearing a t-shirt, a ring, and a watch in his left hand while carrying a cross.
PM Defends Multiculturalism After Stabbing Attacks
The church stabbing has raised concerns among the community about social cohesion due to the clash of different ideologies.While acknowledging the impact of the attack on the community, the prime minister believed that multiculturalism was a success in Australia.
“I think overwhelmingly multiculturalism has been a part of modern Australia and that people overwhelmingly in cities like Melbourne and Sydney live in peace and harmony and are enriched,” he said.
Mr. Albanese then emphasised the importance of “nurturing multiculturalism” and having respect for each other.
“What we need to do is to show kindness, compassion and respect for each other regardless of what faith people have or whether they have none at all,” he said.
Meanwhile, authorities have reached out to faith and community leaders for assistance to help quell tensions and prevent retaliatory attacks targeting different communities.
