Police Officers "Lobbing Rocks" at Coptic Christian Protesters - Giza, Egypt

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE6AN08P20101124

CAIRO (Reuters) - Clashes between riot police and hundreds of Christians protesting after the authorities halted construction of a church in Cairo took a sectarian turn on Wednesday when dozens of Muslims joined the violence.

One Christian was killed and dozens were wounded in scuffles when Orthodox Copts hit the streets and hurled stones at police lines. Some officers threw stones back. Muslims also lobbed rocks at the Christian protesters from the security cordon.

Christian protests on this scale are rare in Muslim-majority Egypt, but sectarian tensions have risen. Analysts say the state must address grievances such as those over laws making it easier to build a mosque than a church to prevent an escalation.

The protest erupted four days before Sunday's parliamentary election, which has also led to scattered unrest.

"These events reflect pent-up sectarian frustrations in Egyptian society that have become more inflammatory because of the election battle," said Nabil Abdel-Fattah, an analyst at al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

The Health Ministry said a 19-year-old man was killed and 35 people were wounded, including 13 security men. Medical and security sources had previously said 45 people were hurt.

The Interior Ministry said at least 112 protesters were detained in the Giza area of the capital, where the authorities had halted construction of a church although the Copts said they had an official permit.

"We will build it, we will build it," Christians chanted

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Christians
• clash
• with
• police
• over
• church
• in
• Egypt

[amaqula]

The time has come for the CATHOLIC STATE.........for the protection of Christians. We have the right to protect and rule ourselves!!!

[2462ish]

@ZzirDavS13 daft? iknow 5yr olds who have more sense than that! wake up and grow up! as for the miracles. if YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT ISLAM you would of known the quran its self is a miracle, it were revealed to a man who was illiterate, and yes, he had thousands of miracles, splitting the moon, feeding thousands of peaple with very little food... theres so many, theres a whole book on them. the miracles of muhammad, now unlike you and the rest on here, i didnt come on here to insult or argue

[tank924]

@iopenpacks that is what those cops have been reading.. cant you see the devil in those PIGS!

[iopenpacks]

@2462ish quran chapter 29 verse 49

[2462ish]

@dirtknees :)

[2462ish]

@iopenpacks is that so? could you please say were?:)

[iopenpacks]

@2462ish actullay muhhamed in the quran admitted he couldnt do miracles

[SupremeAmerican]

@TheIxtlan I'm not evil. Thanks.

[dirtknees]

@2462ish fuck religion

[TheIxtlan]

Uproot all Christians in the Middle East. Get rid of all christians in the Egypt. Christians are spies. Christians can never bet trusted. Christians are evil evil people. Their bible itself is pure evil.

[pulwi79]

und mit so ner regierung macht europa geschäfte- merkel und co -shame on you

[Alexplus20]

@2462ish keep on ignoring the facts like a good ignorant. Can't even see the hate and ignorance spread by Muslims in this very video...hah they are throwing stones because they are only playing a game haha freak!