Copts clash with police in Cairo over new church
Violent clashes between Christian demonstrators and police forces have erupted today in Cairo, Egypt, leaving one person killed and dozens wounded, following the denied permission for the construction of a church.
Sources from the northern-African country say hundreds of protesters took to the streets today. The disorders quickly escalated and riots spread in various parts of the capital, after the tension between the Christian Copts minority and the Muslim community worsened following a series of provocative acts.
The protests have been going on for the whole morning in different parts of the Giza district, west of Cairo. Demonstrators gathered outside the governor's palace to voice their anger after the permission to build a church was denied by the authorities – although Copts claim they had a signed permit.
“People here feel very discriminated against,” said Samih Rashid, one of the protesters. “We can't build the church, why are they stopping us? Every street has a mosque, every church has a mosque next to it.”
The governor of Giza district, Sayyed Abdel-Aziz, said Copts used the wrong permit when they started building the church.
“When we noticed indications that it was turning into a church, we told the church authorities to halt construction because a church would require a different license,” he told to MENA, the state news agency.
He claimed that the permit that was issued was for the construction of a community centre.
After the construction was stopped, machines were blocked outside the building site, but the Copts said they would continue the construction even without tools.
Demonstrators threw stones at the police, who cordoned off the area and fired tear gas among the protesteing groups.
According to the Egyptian interior ministry, more than 110 people have been arrested since this morning. Resident Muslim groups took to the streets as well, throwing stones at the Copts.
The demonstrator who died was confirmed identified as Makarios Gad Shukr, aged 19.
Demonstrations of this scale are unusual in Egypt, a country where the overall majority of citizens is Muslim. The current laws that restrict construction of churches – but not of mosques – have been a catalyst of frustration among Christians, according to analysts.
Episodes of violence between the two religious groups have been escalating recently. In January, on the eve of Coptic Christmas, six Copts were killed by gunfire in southern Egypt when they were leaving the traditional mass.
Fundamentalists groups in Egypt have been keeping a low profile so far, but the threat posed by extremism and al-Qaeda has the potential to drive the country into complete instability.
Egypt is holding parliamentary elections at the end of this week.
(Read the full article on The Fresh Outlook)
24.11.2010
Sources from the northern-African country say hundreds of protesters took to the streets today. The disorders quickly escalated and riots spread in various parts of the capital, after the tension between the Christian Copts minority and the Muslim community worsened following a series of provocative acts.
The protests have been going on for the whole morning in different parts of the Giza district, west of Cairo. Demonstrators gathered outside the governor's palace to voice their anger after the permission to build a church was denied by the authorities – although Copts claim they had a signed permit.
“People here feel very discriminated against,” said Samih Rashid, one of the protesters. “We can't build the church, why are they stopping us? Every street has a mosque, every church has a mosque next to it.”
The governor of Giza district, Sayyed Abdel-Aziz, said Copts used the wrong permit when they started building the church.
“When we noticed indications that it was turning into a church, we told the church authorities to halt construction because a church would require a different license,” he told to MENA, the state news agency.
He claimed that the permit that was issued was for the construction of a community centre.
After the construction was stopped, machines were blocked outside the building site, but the Copts said they would continue the construction even without tools.
Demonstrators threw stones at the police, who cordoned off the area and fired tear gas among the protesteing groups.
According to the Egyptian interior ministry, more than 110 people have been arrested since this morning. Resident Muslim groups took to the streets as well, throwing stones at the Copts.
The demonstrator who died was confirmed identified as Makarios Gad Shukr, aged 19.
Demonstrations of this scale are unusual in Egypt, a country where the overall majority of citizens is Muslim. The current laws that restrict construction of churches – but not of mosques – have been a catalyst of frustration among Christians, according to analysts.
Episodes of violence between the two religious groups have been escalating recently. In January, on the eve of Coptic Christmas, six Copts were killed by gunfire in southern Egypt when they were leaving the traditional mass.
Fundamentalists groups in Egypt have been keeping a low profile so far, but the threat posed by extremism and al-Qaeda has the potential to drive the country into complete instability.
Egypt is holding parliamentary elections at the end of this week.
(Read the full article on The Fresh Outlook)
24.11.2010