Peaceful Coptic Christians attacked in Cairo kills 25

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
10/11/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Coptics were protesting the demolition of a church when they were attacked.

At least 24 people are dead as a peaceful Coptic Christian protest in Egypt was turned violent by militant counter-protesters. The protest-turned-riot highlights sharp divisions between Egypt's Christian population and the Islamic majority.

In addition to attacking Christians, the protesters also attacked Egyptian security forces.

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CAIRO, EGYPT (Catholic Online) - Hundreds of Egyptian Christians marched in protest over a recent attack on a church. Their march began as a peaceful demonstration following the destruction of the Christian church upon orders of a regional governor on October 1.

As the protesters were marching, witnesses say a group of plainclothes counter-protesters assaulted them. Witnesses say pellets were fired at the Christians. It's believed that some of the people may have snatched weapons from soldiers, and turned them on the military. Rocks and bottles were thrown indiscriminately at the protesters.

The resulting violence led to the deaths of 24 people, according to an Egyptian health Ministry official. The military deployed more than 1,000 troops and several armored vehicles along the Nile river where the fighting began. Because protests continued late into the night, the military imposed a curfew until 7 AM local time, in the city of Cairo.

Several military vehicles were set ablaze, as troops fired into the air to disperse the Christians.
Protesters were demanding that the governor of the Aswan province be removed and for their church to be rebuilt. All accounts agree that the demonstration started peacefully with a march and a sit in at the state television building in Cairo. However when the protesters were attacked the situation quickly turned violent.

Security forces also used tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Additional protests broke out in four other provinces in Egypt according to local television sources.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf appeared on television to denounce the clashes as "unjustified violence." He further said that the recent riots also, "raised fear and concerns about the future of this homeland" and that the country's transition to democracy was in jeopardy.

Coptic Christians are the most significant religious minority in the Middle East and account for about 9 percent of Egypt's population.

Discrimination against Christians had long been encouraged by the government of Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak's regime often refused to prosecute people accused of crimes against Christians, and actively worked to discriminate against them.

Still, government leaders are not framing the recent conflict as a Christian versus militant fight. Rather, they claim the protests have been sparked by political agitators. Government officials have asked the people not to join in the protests.

Dissatisfaction with Egyptian government is growing as the transition to democracy is taking much longer than most people would like. Some accuse the government of being a military dictatorship that is moving only glacially to implement democratic reforms.

� 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Catholic, Coptic, Christians, church, riots, each addition, security forces, Cairo, Islamic, militants, security forces

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1 - 4 of 4 Comments

Bulbajer
1 year ago
Jonel, great comment. I agree. We must pray for the Copts. Diane... wow, how'd you reach that CIA conclusion? Even if Obama was that corrupt, what could he possibly get out of setting up a military regime in Egypt?
Jonel
1 year ago
This is not new in a society where misuse of religion dehumanizes a human being and turn him into an animal to be against others. Let us pray for our suffering brothers and sisters in Egypt that may faith in one God, who is the source of true unity and peace, be the source of light in the world where vengeance and violence is always associated with the duty of faith and therefore giving it an erroneous reputation.
Diane
1 year ago
This article is very sad news indeed. I didn't support the so-called revolution in Egypt, I really did believe it was incited by outside agitators. I still believe that. My sister-in-law, who is a Catholic from Cairo, recently told me that none of her many relatives who have remained in Cairo were affected by the rioting at all. She said it only took place on a few steets, but the TV News always made it look as if most of Cairo was engulfed in the riots. As for the killing of these Christian Copts, who is really responsible? Is it our CIA who fomented all this trouble under the direction of this present adminisrtation? I'm beginning to think so.
Jorge
1 year ago
Of course the current US adminstration leaded by the most treatcherous, incompetent currupt false liberals of all times -obamination, joe Biden and hillary disaster clinton- who are totally responsable for backing the muslim brotherhood, the salafists and other islamofascist forces in egypt and elsewhere, that are cummiting the ethnic cleansing of the copts, will do absolutely NOTHING to stop what they at the least in part, created. Look what they are doing every time a jihadist mass-murderer kills, or is caught red-faced , using the quranic scritpures, in serious attempts to butcher western folks!they apologise and submit to every jihadist-muslim demand and abusive thugish behaviour you can possibly imagine.Look to what this adminstration is doing regarding the biggest sword enemy of America, its values and citizens-PAKISTAN-they SUBMIT to every lie, every abuse the pakistany double-faced, double-speak, lies, deceits, pathetic cover-ups, terrorist agressions you can possibly imagine. this is the WORST ADMINSTRATION EVER in what the advance of human rights, world peace, justice, equality, christianity, humanism, progress, science ..and everything good and righteous are concerned!! who in his right mind can vote for the continuation of this global economical, political, religious, civilizational disaster?!?? For God's sake...the democrats are leading the planet to a WORLD WAR with their islamofasicst appeasement...this is no way to solve the jihad global crisis. You should confront it and defeat it in all platforms, both militarly, economically and ideologically...if you play along with the fraudulent politically-correct (bankrupt)rethoric that islam is a "religion of peace" you are merely conceding to the islamic taqyya,deceit tactics, and sending more lies, submiting to the islamic tricks , making islamic imperialism stronger and more determined to wipe us out, for they see this rightly as a seriously stupid weakness. The world NEEDS HONEST heroes, not appeasers of villains& thugs!

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