Cairo, Egypt, Oct 10, 2011 / 16:41 pm
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church has declared three days of fasting and mourning after a demonstration turned violent and led to at least 24 deaths. The church says anti-Christian infiltrators are responsible.
“The Christian faith denounces violence,” the church said in an Oct. 10 statement issued one day after a demonstration for Christian rights gave way to violence between civilians and the army, leaving 272 injured. “Strangers infiltrated the demonstration and committed the crimes for which Copts are being blamed.”
In its official response, the Coptic Orthodox Church urged authorities to “solve the root causes of the problems” between Christians, Muslims, and police. The church noted that Egypt's Christian minority has “suffered repeated problems while the aggressors have gone unpunished.”
Sunday's demonstration drew an estimated 10,000 Christians to Cairo for what was meant to be a peaceful protest against a recent church burning in the southern city of Aswan. Coptic Christians, who make up a tenth of Egypt's population, marched to demand more protection and rights from the transitional military government.