Police search for 50 people, 12 ‘main aggressors’ over church riot

Detectives are searching for up to 50 people allegedly involved in a riot sparked by an attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emanuel, including 12 men they say were the “main aggressors”.

Some of the 2000-strong crowd clashed with specialist police, including the riot squad, outside Christ The Good Shepherd Church on April 15, allegedly damaging cars and injuring officers.

Detectives have so far arrested three men in the wake of the riot but on Monday released images of 12 men who they claim may be able to assist police with their inquiries.

NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland told the media on Monday that officers hoped to speak with the men.

“Detectives have done a fantastic job so far. They’ve used the video footage and the body-worn footage from the scene, as well as social media, to identify those 12 (alleged) main aggressors,” he said.

Mr Holland added that the “charges against them are likely to be more serious” than the three people charged.

Some 50 detectives and 60 high visibility policing investigators pour over more than 600 hours of video footage from the night, including police body-worn footage.

Mr Holland said criminal investigators were searching for at least 50 people who “definitely went there (to the church)”.

“We know that there’s groups of families involved that have gone there to support their bishop, and we’re not looking for those people … only if they can provide information,” he said.

“There were people there who (police believe) just deliberately went to that location to start problems with police. The amount of vehicle damage and the amount of police injured makes that point.”

Mr Holland said if police “had to talk to 2000 people to get the answers we want, that’s fine with us”, and they were supported by the church in finding the alleged aggressors.

In an earlier statement, NSW Police Superintendent Andrew Evans said the “particular individuals were being targeted by detectives due to the violent and aggressive nature of their actions.

“We are doing everything we can to identify these men and are now appealing for public assistance. Someone in the community knows who they are,” Superintendent Evans added.

The 12 men as described by police as follows:

Person A:

• Depicted is described as being of caucasian appearance, medium build, and with a tattoo of Jesus Christ on his stomach and a full tattoo sleeve on his left arm.
• He is shown wearing black jeans that cut off at the ankle, black belt, dark coloured shoes and a black shirt wrapped around his face.

Person B:

• Depicted is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, with receding dark brown hair and a beard.
• He is shown wearing a black jumper, grey pants, black shoes and carrying a grey shoulder bag.

Person C:

• Depicted is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, with short black hair and beard.
• He is shown wearing a grey V neck shirt, dark jeans and white shoes.

Person D:

• Depicted is described as being of medium build.
• He is shown wearing a grey hooded jumper, grey shorts, black socks and white shoes.

Person E:

• Depicted is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, muscular build, tan complexion, with a dark coloured beard.
• He is shown wearing a Nike hat, black singlet, grey cargo pants and white shoes.

Person F:

• Depicted is shown wearing a T-shirt, a ring and a watch on his left hand and carrying a cross.

Person G:

• Depicted is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance.
• He is shown wearing a black jumper with yellow writing, a white hat and white shoes.

Person H:

• Depicted is shown wearing a T-shirt and carrying a fire extinguisher.

Person I:

• Depicted is described as having short dark hair and a beard.
• He is shown wearing a hooded jumper, dark pants and a black shoulder bag.

Person J:

• Depicted is described as being of large appearance, bald with a goatee.
• He is shown wearing a dark jumper with writing around the collar.

Person K:

• Depicted is described as having his hair in braids and having a dark beard.
• He is shown wearing a black hooded jumper, tracksuit pants and socks with slides.

Person L:

• Depicted is shown wearing a dark singlet, dark shoes and light-coloured shorts.

The first person charged over the riot, Dani Mansour, was granted bail at Blacktown Local Court on Thursday as he faces allegations he filmed himself damaging two police cars.

Over the weekend, two more men – a 28-year-old Horningsea Park man and a 45-year-old Fairfield Heights man – were charged and appeared before Parramatta Court.