Australia’s New South Wales police said that they have been investigating a bishop’s alleged stabbing during the live stream of a mass in Sydney on Monday (April 15) as a terrorist attack.

Premier Chris Minns said that the decision to investigate it as a terrorist attack was taken on Tuesday (April 16). 

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said that they have established a strike force to investigate the incident. 

“This is a major and serious criminal investigation. It is crucial that New South Wales police are able to devote their resources and intelligence as well as officers to the investigation of this crime,” said Minns, on Tuesday.

After the prominent Orthodox Christian leader was stabbed at the church’s altar, hundreds of people got on the streets and clashed with the police in western Sydney on Monday night.

The police arrested a 15-year-old boy after the incident.

The stabbing incident took place at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Sydney.

In the incident, at least four people were stabbed, however, the police confirmed that none of them suffered life-threatening injuries. The incident led to unrest.

As hundreds of people clashed with the police officials after the incident, two of them suffered injuries and 20 police vehicles suffered damages.

Police Chief Commissioner Karen Webb said the police are hunting down those who were involved in the riots and called their actions “unacceptable”.

A crowd of people then “converged on that area and began to turn on police”, said Webb. According to the police, the crowd, which was initially made up of around 50 people, grew to approximately 500. 

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“People used what was available to them in the area, including bricks, concrete palings, to assault police, and throw missiles at police and police equipment, and police vehicles,” stated the police.

Few police officers suffered injuries and were taken to hospital overnight, said Webb.

“That is unacceptable and those that were involved in that riot can expect a knock at the door. It might not be today. It might not be tomorrow. But we’ll find you and we’ll come and arrest you. That is totally unacceptable,” he said. 

The incident occurred a day after 40-year-old Joel Cauchi created chaos and panic amid the crowd in the Westfield Bondi Junction complex in Sydney as he stabbed six people – out of which five were women – using a long blade.

(With inputs from agencies)