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Another stabbing in Sydney today.

(30 Posts)
Urmstongran Mon 15-Apr-24 12:28:43

A priest this time attacked in his Church.

Saturday’s awful killings were not related to religion. A 40 year old ‘incel’ with schizophrenia who hadn’t been taking his meds, leading a chaotic lifestyle. The fact that he was wearing shorts convinced me when I watched events unfold that he wasn’t Muslim.

I feel desperately sad for his 76 year old father who has been brave enough to speak to reporters camped outside his home.

BlueBelle Mon 15-Apr-24 12:30:43

What’s an incel ?

Smileless2012 Mon 15-Apr-24 12:33:12

A male unable to attract women and blames them for not being attracted to him.

lemsip Mon 15-Apr-24 12:38:14

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Urmstongran Mon 15-Apr-24 12:42:50

The poor father who came out to answer questions said his son ‘just wanted a girlfriend’ but admitted he was ‘very sick’.

Callistemon21 Mon 15-Apr-24 13:30:56

Oh dear, not again.
We've been out since very early this morning and haven't seen the news.

😥

Dickens Mon 15-Apr-24 15:05:34

Urmstongran

A priest this time attacked in his Church.

Saturday’s awful killings were not related to religion. A 40 year old ‘incel’ with schizophrenia who hadn’t been taking his meds, leading a chaotic lifestyle. The fact that he was wearing shorts convinced me when I watched events unfold that he wasn’t Muslim.

I feel desperately sad for his 76 year old father who has been brave enough to speak to reporters camped outside his home.

A 40 year old ‘incel’ with schizophrenia who hadn’t been taking his meds...

Obviously that's why he was "known" to the police - through previous 'disturbances'?

I know people cannot be forcibly held down and medicated, but I do question why such individuals whose mental stability is wrecked, are simply left among the community to just get on with it.

Are we supposed to just accept that now and again it will all go horribly wrong and innocent people will be killed as a result?

Urmstongran Mon 15-Apr-24 15:18:54

Seems so Dickens. And I do always wonder whether cannabis in youth (under 25) plays a part in psychosis.

Allsorts Mon 15-Apr-24 15:26:25

I don’t think people relying on medication for severe mental illness, should be responsible for taking their own meds. I think this care in the community is a cost costing method of freeing up the expense of proper facilities. Different people gather at my local church and appear to be shut out of their home for very long periods, I feel so sorry for them as they appear lost, they are desperate for company, it’s a disgrace. Elderly parents cannot cope with a 50 to 60 year old. What happens when parents die.

Chestnut Mon 15-Apr-24 15:30:45

Urmstongran

Seems so Dickens. And I do always wonder whether cannabis in youth (under 25) plays a part in psychosis.

According to some, cannabis has a permanent and very dangerous effect on the brain. And this is how it manifests itself so entirely possible. People have been happily smoking away thinking it is harmless. But we are seeing a great deal of crazy behaviour amongst men. Apart from the Clapham acid attacker there have been several more lately, men murdering women. I've lost count to be honest. Now we have two in Sydney where they seem to be directing their hate towards women.

welbeck Mon 15-Apr-24 15:31:37

i believe it was enoch powell in about 1960, who proposed closing the large mental hospitals, to save money.
it was an idea that gained traction, and had some merit in reforming how services were delivered, but we all see it was primarily to save money, liquidise assets, not enhance patients' experience.

Aveline Mon 15-Apr-24 15:33:02

Incel - involuntarily celibate

Dickens Mon 15-Apr-24 15:36:57

Allsorts

I don’t think people relying on medication for severe mental illness, should be responsible for taking their own meds. I think this care in the community is a cost costing method of freeing up the expense of proper facilities. Different people gather at my local church and appear to be shut out of their home for very long periods, I feel so sorry for them as they appear lost, they are desperate for company, it’s a disgrace. Elderly parents cannot cope with a 50 to 60 year old. What happens when parents die.

Well said.

I remember in the 80s the 'advantages' of Community Care being promoted by the Thatcher government, and my mother (a retired SRN) and I discussing where all this community support was going to come from.

It didn't materialise as my mother discovered when an elderly and very disturbed schizophrenic gentleman was placed in the same block of flats tenanted mostly by elderly women - and she ended up being his unauthorised 'carer' because apart from an occasional visit by a community nurse, he was left to his own devices. And didn't take his medication either.

keepingquiet Mon 15-Apr-24 15:39:02

welbeck- it was Thatcher's govt that introduced Care in the Community and closed the psychiatric hospitals. Most of these are now houseing estates.
Psychiatric care was then transferred to the community with psychiatric wards for serious cases in general hospitals. There are still some psychiatric units for severe cases- but anyway this is Australia where they probably have a similar system.

I'm getting confused because this thread was about an incident where no one was killed and is now getting confused with the earlier incident.

welbeck Mon 15-Apr-24 15:52:10

i am aware of the history.
are you ? navigator.health.org.uk/theme/enoch-powells-water-tower-speech

Chestnut Mon 15-Apr-24 16:10:06

^keepingquiet* ^I'm getting confused because this thread was about an incident where no one was killed and is now getting confused with the earlier incident.

Oh me too. I thought the OP said this person was an incel but it was the Saturday killer who was an incel. We haven't heard the details about this one or why he did it. He was certainly not of sound mind, seen smiling as he went down. Is this another one not taking his meds or smoking strong cannabis....or both?

Callistemon21 Mon 15-Apr-24 16:17:30

I wonder if this latest attack was not drug-related and more to do with religious persecution?

The bishop who was attacked was named by local media as Mar Mari Emmanuel. His identity was later confirmed by the church, which is Eastern Orthodox.

According to AFP news agency, the neighbourhood is a hub for Sydney's small Christian Assyrian community, many of whom have fled persecution and war in Iraq and Syria.

^Following the attack large crowds gathered outside the church, with unverified footage posted online appearing to show some attacking the building and emergency service vehicles.

Jackiest Mon 15-Apr-24 16:32:27

However bad these stabbings have been think much worse it would have been if they had been able to get hold of guns.

Dickens Mon 15-Apr-24 16:48:54

Jackiest

However bad these stabbings have been think much worse it would have been if they had been able to get hold of guns.

... gosh yes. Doesn't bear thinking about.

The inhabitants of Sydney must be feeling shocked and wary and hoping this will not spark more attacks.

When these awful attacks happen, I always think that there must be people roaming around among us who - unknown to us - are 'powder kegs' just waiting to go off.

I cannot imagine the trauma suffered by those survivors, of both incidents. How do you ever get over something like that, it must alter your perspective on life forever.

Urmstongran Mon 15-Apr-24 16:49:55

The Sydney stabbing of the Bishop was a 15 year old boy.
Ye gods.

Callistemon21 Tue 16-Apr-24 10:18:29

I cannot imagine the trauma suffered by those survivors, of both incidents. How do you ever get over something like that, it must alter your perspective on life forever.

Apparently the baby who was stabbed is recovering. However, she has lost her mother, life will never be as it should have been for her.

NotSpaghetti Tue 16-Apr-24 10:42:37

Urmstongran

The Sydney stabbing of the Bishop was a 15 year old boy.
Ye gods.

Yes, I don't know why someone thought he was forty...

It was in the news that he was 15 almost immediately.

NotSpaghetti Tue 16-Apr-24 10:43:54

Callistemon21 - I believe that was the (earlier) shopping centre attack...

NotSpaghetti Tue 16-Apr-24 10:44:58

...not that the place makes it any better.

All very grim

Witzend Tue 16-Apr-24 10:55:22

BlueBelle

What’s an incel ?

‘Involuntary celibate’. I first read the term only the other day.