EGYPT: One protester killed, dozens injured and arrested in Coptic clashes with police

The Interior Ministry said a riot started just after dawn in the Omraneya district when hundreds of Copts tried to "illegally transform" a Christian community center "into a church without obtaining the necessary authorization for doing so."

Demonstrators broke windows, sabotaged residential buildings and blocked the road leading to the area. "With our blood and our souls, we will sacrifice our lives for you, oh cross," the protesters chanted.

Police dispersed the crowd by firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Protesters responded by throwing Molotov cocktails at security officers, who then hurled rocks at protesters from a nearby bridge overlooking the construction site.

Makarios Jad Shukr, a 19-year-old student, was shot in the leg and died on his way to hospital, officials said. Unnamed medical sources said three other protesters were seriously wounded and remained in critical condition.

About 20 police officers were among those injured. Ninety-three people were arrested.

A few hours after the clashes, marchers took their protest to the headquarters of the Giza governor at Ahram Street, which connects Cairo to the Giza pyramids.

The governor told Egypt's official news agency, MENA, that rioters tried to storm the building but failed, adding that the governorate's deputy director and the commander of Giza's central security were injured before security forces intervened with tear gas. 

Two priests were summoned by the general prosecutor for interrogations concerning their involvement in the demonstrations.

The Interior Ministry later issued a statement offering regret for the injuries and loss of life, and saying that "repeated police requests to cease violence were ignored by the demonstrators, putting the safety of local residents at risk, at which point security officials had no choice but to control and disperse the gathering through the use of tear gas."

Copts, who make up about 10% of Egypt's population of 82 million, have long complained of "discrimination," especially when it comes to building churches in this predominantly Muslim country. 

"People here are very discriminated against us [Copts]. Why are they stopping us from building the church?" protester Sameh Rashid asked. "Every street has a mosque and every church has a mosque next to it."

Although most Copts live in relative peace among Muslims across Egypt, sectarian tensions have dramatically increased in certain areas over the last few years.

Wednesday's events come a week after a mob of Muslims set 10 Christian homes on fire after rumors spread that a Coptic man and a Muslim woman were secretly dating in a remote village in the governorate of Qena, 400 miles south of Cairo.

Three Muslims are still on trial for the Jan. 6 slaying of six Copts and a Muslim security guard outside a church in a drive-by shooting in the town of Nagaa Hammadi.

-- Amro Hassan in Cairo

Photo: Security forces throw rocks at demonstrators from the top of a bridge. Credit: Agence France-Presse

Comments

[geo88a]

Muslin better respect all religions in Egypt, and all other Muslin nations. This is an unacceptable outrage.

[Ramy Girgis]

A week after the incident, an owner of a newly unfinished building located a cross from the said Church building decided to show the Christians how discriminated they are and decided to donate the first two levels of his own residential building to be used as a mosque for Muslims to pray, the building owner made this decision on Thursday night and they used the transferred the building to a mosque the very next day and they prayed the Friday prayers in the building, see in the pictures how the kids are celebrating their victory and showing their neglecting and hatred feelings towards Christians

[Arnold]

It should be clear that the Church had legal Building Permits. Christians are are certainly not the aggressors, but the victims. History has proven this over centuries of oppression. Enough of the cover up by the Arab Media & Arab Authorities.

It's criminal behaviour of the Police to attack a Church and throw bricks and open fire on the christians with tear gas and bullets. Obviously, a number of people have been killed and many injured. Youth have been seized whether they were passing by or protesting against this injustice. As we speak they are being interrogated and may be "framed" for crimes they never commmitted.

Where is the international community and U.N to protect these innocent people, who are suffering under persecution???According to a BBC World News Report, the Police stole the money from the Church money boxes and ransacked the seating decks. How disgraceful?

Why was there not a strong reaction by the Police against 1,000 Muslim Extremists who attacked twenty-two Coptic-owned homes and businesses with fireballs, gasoline and stones in the Upper Egyptian village of el-Nowahed, Abu-Tesht, in Qena Province, just a week ago. How about, the recent attack on the Church in Nag Hammadi by Muslim Extremists that left 6 innocent youth killed, who were innocently celebrating Christmas Eve in January 2009. Until now, these crimnals have not been sentenced? You know why, because they killed christian "infidels". Is that not the reason???Enough is Enough!!!

Where is equality by these Arab Governments.I honestly wonder, how these people live with their conscience when they abuse their fellow human beings and break families apart. What crime have they done? Is it because they are branded as infidels??? Enough persecution of christians all over the world. Arabs, in particular are the first to critize the christians for speaking out against oppression, but why don't they stand against the injustice from Islamic extremists and accept the truth as it is, instead of denying it. God know's, what's new on the agenda of attacks on the christians! We will soon behold....

We love everyone and believe in Human Rights for all, regardless of their religion or culture.

[Farag]

The police and civilians were throwing rocks at the protestors. Is the police duties to protect everybody, Muslim and Christian? Who are the people in civilian clothes throwing rocks, are they other Christians, Muslims, or undercover police? We need clarification who these people are. Did anyone ask the question have the Copts tried to get permits for the church building and were denied because they are Christian and not Muslim? Considering that the population of Egypt is only 10% Christian it seems likely that there is more to this story than what the article tells. Maybe they were protesting the fact that they were denied their rights to build a church. Do the Copts own the land they were going to build on? The paper needs to do more research on the matter to find out the whole truth. In Egypt each church has police outside to protect it but not the Mosques. The Muslims want to build a Mosque on ground zero? If the Muslims want to be treated fairly and build Mosque at ground zero don't you think they should show the same support of Christians in a place like Egypt to build a church?

[sam]

i have today had a call from friends who have just returned from egypt,
to say hi, and tell me about their 3 weeks holliday,they tell me that they spoke to quite a few people who told them that only 10% of the copts
are trouble makers and give a bad name to the rest. thank you.

[Ariely]

Facts rarely reported in the West:
A:10 Million Cops Christian live in Egypt. The Cops are Egypt indigenous peoples ahead Arab conquest and colonization.
Practically it is almost impossible to guild a church:
Ministry of Interior regulations specify 10 conditions to build a church
Examples:
Not within 100 meters of a mosque.
Approved by neighboring Muslim.
BBC TV has reported a similar case in Indonesia
B:In 14 Muslim countries Christians are not allowed to proselytize.
In 12 Muslims are restricted from converting to Christianity.
In 11 countries, Christians attending public schools are required to take Islam courses.
Governments bar Arabic-language versions of the bible.
Saudi Arabia banned any non-Islamic religious public literature.

Why??
President Obama has never required the 58 Muslim countries to end the racist and apartheid practice against all non Muslim religions.

Why??
President Obama delivered well done charismatic speeches offering the Muslim countries support without requiring any reciprocity from the 58 Muslim countries.