An Egyptian Coptic Christian holding up a blood-soaked cloth after a clash with soldiers and anti-riot police. At least 25 people were killed and more than 300 injured. |
Army armored cars run over Egyptian Christians. |
Since the Muslim conquest of Christian Egypt in 642 AD there has been a war against Christianity and Freedom of Religion
The attacks on Christians in Egypt are nothing new. For nearly 1,400 years Egyptian Christians have been second class citizens in their own nation with few rights and zero political power. Only Muslims are allowed to rule the nation.
Now Cairo has had riots with over 25 people killed and at least 300 injured in clashes between Muslims and Coptic Christians.
It started out as a peaceful demonstration. Some 10,000 Christians and Muslims had taken to the streets together to protest against recent violence against Christians in Egypt. They had planned to congregate at the state television building north of Tahrir Square but the marchers were attacked before they reached it.
Flag of the Christian Byzantine Empire. Egypt was Christian until the Arab invasions imposed Islam. |
"Stones were thrown at us and there were shots," said Alfred Raouf, a Coptic Christian who was among the demonstrators. "We were shocked." That was only the beginning. The situation escalated in front of the television building. It is unclear who triggered the clashes. "When we arrived, the military immediately started attacking us with tear gas and truncheons," said Beshoy Fayez, a demonstrator.
The military resorted to heavy-handed tactics, attacking demonstrators with tear gas and truncheons. TV footage showed an army vehicle repeatedly driving into the crowd at speed -- back and forth, zig-zagging. It ran over several people.
Video of church bombing in Egypt
Muslims set fire to two Christian Churches in Cairo
Ablaze: Muslims set fire to a Christian Church. Firemen fighting the fire are surrounded by angry Muslims in the Imbaba neighborhood in Cairo. |
Muslim mobs set two churches on fire in Cairo during sectarian clashes that left 12 dead and more than 200 injured in May, 2011.
Mobs of ultraconservative Muslims attacked the St. Menas church in the Cairo slum of Imbaba.
'People were scared to come near them,' said local resident Adel Mohammed, 29, who lives near the Virgin Mary Church. 'They looked scary. They threw their firebombs at the church and set parts of it ablaze.'
Mob: Firemen fight the church fire surrounded by a mob of angry Muslims |
Burnt-out: Christians look at the church which was set on fire |
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