Military and security personnel have clashed with a group of about 2000 protesters, mostly Copts, as they marched towards the Maspero area on Sunday evening to protest against attacks on Christians.
Early reports indicated that the clashes resulted in dozens of injuries, with several people feared dead, including at least one soldier.
A number of Coptic activist groups had called for the march on Sunday, starting at the mostly Christian district of Shubra and ending at the state television building, known as Maspero. They demanded an end to abuses against Copts.
As soon as the march arrived at the Maspero area, gunfire started, according to eyewitness accounts. Two armed vehicles were seen driving towards a group of protesters next to Maspero, zigzagging through them. Al-Masry Al-Youm reporters say they saw one armed vehicle crush 15 people.
Protesters showed Al-Masry Al-Youm bullets from the shooting. One protester showed what he said were bits of skull and brain of his friend who was killed after being run over by an armed vehicle.
Many were wounded and motorbikes were used to carry injured protesters away. Coptic protesters told Al-Masry Al-Youm that they feared going to public hospitals because they might be harassed there. Some of the injured asked to be taken to the Coptic Hospital in Abbasseya.
At some point during the clashes, several vehicles, including at least one bus and one military vehicle were set on fire.
Following the initial wave of violence, protesters started chanting "The people want the fall of the marshal," referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who heads the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).
Central Security Forces were spotted chasing protesters along the corniche in front of the television building. Police also started firing tear gas to disperse protesters.
People in civilian clothing were also seen throwing objects down on protesters from nearby buildings.
Sunday's march comes in the wake of the attack on the Marinab Church in Aswan by Muslim citizens on 30 September. The attackers claimed the dome of the church had been built without an official license for construction.
Last Wednesday, military police forcibly dispersed hundreds of Coptic protesters outside of Maspero as they were also demonstrating against the church attack.
