Dozens of Coptic activists and Coptic residents of Dahshur village demonstrated in front of the presidential palace in Cairo Wednesday, calling on the government to halt sectarian strife.
Clashes between Muslims and Christians broke out in the Giza Governorate town Friday after a Christian launderer burned a Muslim customer's shirt as he was ironing. The town saw renewed violence Wednesday morning, following the funeral of a young Muslim man who died in hospital from injuries sustained during the initial violence.
Protesters from Maspero Youth Union joined the Dahshur Christians in demanding the arrest of those who caused the fighting. They rejected the customary reconciliation sessions often held to resolve these types of disputes and demanded that Dahshur Copts be protected without having to evacuate their homes.
They also advocated for an article to be included in the new constitution being drafted that would criminalize sectarian discrimination. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohamed Morsy.
“What is happening in Dahshur is a demolition of the state of law and the civil state," said union member Mina Thabet, adding that the situation violates international conventions protecting the rights of minorities.
Former MP Mohamed Abou Hamed, who also attended the demonstration, said, “We call on the Coptic families who have been displaced from the village of Dahshur, and they are 130 families, to hold a sit-in in front of the presidential palace until they are granted security. I am in solidarity with them in the sit-in, and I call for the criminalization of sectarian strife and the punishment of offenders.”
Other Coptic movements have also announced that residents who were forced to evacuate this week would participate in a protest Thursday in front of the Giza Police Department.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
