Police have been working to unmask the identities of those who stormed the streets surrounding the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley after a 16-year-old boy allegedly lunged at Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in what they say was a terror attack.
Dani Mansour leaves Blacktown Local Court after being released on bail.Flavio Brancaleone
About 2000 people are believed to have gathered outside the church on that night,some throwing bricks and rocks at police and paramedics who arrived to help the injured.
More than 20 police officers were injured,and nearly 100 police vehicles were damaged,while emergency services were forced to shelter inside the church for more than three hours while an angry mob tried to reach the alleged teenage attacker.
On Wednesday evening,terrorism officers stormed the Doonside home of Dani Mansour,charging him with riot,affray and destroying or damaging property during public disorder. He was the first person arrested over the violence.
After being granted strict bail at Blacktown Local Court on Thursday,where allegations were aired of Mansour kicking two police cars and posting footage to Instagram,the 19-year-old told journalists that when he arrived at the church,“I saw it was bigger,and I thought,‘I just want to go home’.”
Mansour said his actions at Wakeley on Monday were a mistake.Flavio Brancaleone
“It was a mistake from me,” he said,referring to posting footage of the riot online.
Mansour said he was “pissed off about the stuff happening in the church”.
Magistrate Aaron Tang said that while Mansour’s alleged offending was “serious and violent” and carries a maximum of 15 years in jail,it was less serious than some of the other violence rioters allegedly committed.
Police prosecutor Reuben van Der Byl argued against Mansour being granted bail due to the risk of him interfering with witnesses,endangering the community and committing further alleged offences.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked during a service on Monday night.Supplied
But Tang ultimately granted bail,noting Mansour’s clean criminal record and need to financially support his family. But he enforced strict bail conditions,effectively equalling home detention.
The court heard that Mansour is a barber at Mount Druitt and is the sole breadwinner for his parents and sister,whom he lives with.
Under his conditions,Mansour must not leave home unless travelling to work,reporting to the police or in the case of a medical emergency. He must not use social media or contact any prosecution witness except through a lawyer.
Tang said there was “no place for vigilante justice in our society”.
A 16-year-old is alleged to have stabbed the bishop.Supplied
“Police have a very difficult job to play,as do ambulance officers,” he said.
“Police were attending to do their job … already aware it would’ve been violent,let alone them being confronted with an even more violent situation with the alleged riot. Those who acted in the riot acted in a reprehensible way.”
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb called on the community to help find others involved in the riot who disguised their identities. She said around 50 people could be charged.
As of Thursday morning,Mansour had been the only person arrested.
An angry crowd confronted police after the stabbing of Bishop Emmanuel.Wolter Peeters
“People in the community know who they are,their families know who they are,and we need to know who they are,” Webb said.
“We have some people that have jumped on multiple police cars. One individual has a very distinctive tattoo on his torso of a face,while he has cowardly hid his own face.”
The teenager who allegedly stabbed Bishop Emmanuel remained in hospital under police guard at an undisclosed location on Thursday and has not been charged.
Mansour is set to return to court on May 2.
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