At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
All hell has broken loose once again in Cairo, set off by yet another Muslim assault on a Christian church (this one in Merinab village, near Aswan). The clash escalated into a kind of sticks-and-rocks referendum on the military council, ultimately drawing in thousands of people. Chaos descended, with people ripping up the sidewalks to get hold of chunks of pavement to throw and people attacking each other with clubs and petrol bombs. At least 24 are dead, at least 200 injured and dozens arrested. Curfew has been declared on Tahrir Square and downtown Cairo.
According to the Copts, they were conducting a peaceful demonstration to protest the military council's consistent failure to protect their communities and their holy places when they were attacked by "thugs." The military police joined the fray and are reported to have acted with extreme force, including shooting demonstrators and running over them with military vehicles. According to security sources, the military's involvement was prompted by Christian violence, including the torching by demonstrators of cars, armored vehicles and a public bus.
It appears that a considerable proportion of the Muslims who jumped into the battle were ostensibly on the side of the Christians, insofar as they were all enraged at the military council -- in the Copts' case because they've been left to the wolves, and in the Muslims' case because of the council's apparent disinclination to usher in the new democratic age supposedly conceived during the Tahrir revolution. According to The New York Times, "the most common refrain of the protests on Sunday was, 'The people want to bring down the field marshal,' adapting the signature chant of the revolution to call for the resignation of the military’s top officer, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi. 'Muslims and Christians are one hand,' some chanted."
Still, Muslim anti-Christian sentiment was in full view, and the military and riot police are reported to have joined Muslims in their attacks on Christians. "As security forces cleared the streets around 10 p.m.," the Times writes, "police officers in riot gear marched back and forth through the streets of downtown alongside a swarm of hundreds of men armed with clubs and stones chanting, 'The people want to bring down the Christians,' and, later, 'Islamic, Islamic.'”
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's response was exactly what is to be expected by a statesman of this region: an accusation that all demonstrators are enemies of the state, followed by dark hints of secret manipulation. "What’s happening is not sectarian tension,” he said via telephone on state television. “It is an escalating plan for the fall and fragmentation of the state. There’s a feeling of a conspiracy theory to keep Egypt from having the elections that will lead it to democracy...There are hidden hands involved and we will not leave them."
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Comments :
Feb '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
No one has blamed the Jews yet.
Aug '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
[Edited for code of conduct.]
Edited on Oct 10, 2011 at 7:45amMar '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
I'm sure they have, and they will - it just hasn't been reported yet. There's not a single disruption in Egypt that isn't blamed on the Jews.
Aug '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
I'd be interested to do a comparison in the MSM in Europe and the US about the amount of coverage that this gets versus the vandalism of a mosque, gravestones etc. in Israel recently.
There's a great article in Commentary about the "bigotry of low expectations" which kinda ties into this.
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
When all is said and done, I fear, the time of Mubarak (bad as it was) will look like a golden age.
May '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
I'm sure that Obama will give a great speech about it and all will be worked out.......
Feb '11
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
That is one of the greatest expressions of recent years. Peter, do you know who wrote it?
Edited on Oct 10, 2011 at 4:53amJun '10
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
Apparently, if you haven't converted to Islam yet, that proves that you're a reckless troublemaker. So, the crackdown is only on "reckless troublemakers."
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
Yes they have. I believe that's what "secret manipulation" and "hidden hands" mean. I agree with Mr. Rahe, sadly Mubarak may end up with less blood on his hands than the building mob.
Jun '10
Re: At Least 24 Dead in Cairo as Church Protest Escalates
Why can't the left see the irony of their ramblings about largely-nonexistent American Islamophobes (Jews suffer far more attacks than Muslims in America) when, in an Islamic country, the security police join in with Muslim thugs to put down Christians who are simply asking to worship in peace?
Can't Wait for the AP Headline: Egyptians Attack other Egyptians: Israel at Fault
Edited on Oct 10, 2011 at 10:53am