CTindex - Christian Today Australia Interactive Catalogue
World

Coptic Christians attacked by Egyptian military after suspending demonstrations

By: Rachel Ford
Thursday, 17 March 2011, 7:00 (EST)
Font Scale:A A A
Share |
Dozens of Christian demonstrators have been attacked by Egyptian Armed Forces despite agreeing to suspend a sit-in protest outside the state-run television building that lasted 9 days.

The Coptic protestors came under fire on Monday, as the youth cleaned up the site and families from other provinces packed up their belongings, according to the Assyrian International News Agency.

Dr Gameel Ebeid of the Coptic hospital in Cairo treated 15 victims of the assault, 14 of which suffered from broken feet and head wounds caused by electrified batons.

"Suddenly at 3:45 AM they were attacked heavily by the army unit present at the TV building," Dr Ebeid reported. "The youth started running and those who were caught were stripped of their mobile phones so as not to take photos, and their personal belongings were confiscated."

The army also attacked Father Filopareer Gamil, one of the leaders of the sit- in, but Coptic protesters shielded him with their bodies.

According to Fr Gamil, an army official had come to the hospital in an attempt to pacify the Coptic youth gathered outside the building, but they refused to meet with him and are demanding an investigation by the military.

An organiser of the demonstrations, Hany Ramsis, has called for an official apology and that the commander who gave the order for the attack to be prosecuted.

"We met with the authorities and we agreed to suspend the sit-in because of the situation of the country, and many Copts were against this decision. However, we cannot accept that our youth would be beaten and humiliated," Ramsis said.

Thousands of Coptic Christians staged protests after the St. Mina and St. George church in Soul Village, south of Cairo, was destroyed and the land occupied by Muslim worshippers, earlier this month.

Though the Egyptian military has since begun rebuilding of the church, Coptic activists will continue to demonstrate for equal rights for Christians, a principle still denied by Egypt’s constitution.


More articles