Riots over church attack in Egypt kill 19

[oberliner]

Source: Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Massive clashes that drew in Christians angry over a recent church attack, Muslims, and Egyptian security forces raged over a large section of downtown Cairo Sunday night, leaving at least 19 people dead and more than 150 injured, Health Ministry officials said. It was the worst violence since the 18-day uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in February.

The ongoing clashes lasted late into the night, bringing out a deployment of more than 1,000 security forces and armored vehicles to defend the state television building along the Nile, where the trouble began. The clashes spread to nearby Tahrir Square and the area around it, drawing in thousands of people. They battled each other with rocks and firebombs, some tearing up pavement for ammunition and others collecting stones in boxes.

At one point, a group of youths with at least one riot policeman among them dragged a protester by his legs for a long distance. Witnesses said some of the protesters may have snatched weapons from the soldiers and turned them on the military. The protesters also pelted the soldiers with rocks and bottles.

Christians blame Egypt's ruling military council for being too lenient on those behind a spate of anti-Christian attacks since the ouster of Mubarak. The Coptic Christian minority makes up about 10 percent of the country of more than 80 million people. As Egypt undergoes a chaotic power transition and security vacuum in the wake of this year's uprising, Christians are particularly worried about the increasing show of force by the ultraconservative Islamists.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/riots-over-church-attack-egypt-kill-19-193024648.html

[aquart]

1. Arab autumn ain't as easy as Arab spring.

Learning to govern yourself after years of dictatorship is deadly and difficult. And as high as the price will be, it will be cheap if it succeeds.

Democracy is majority rule. But the rules enacted have to protect the minority.

[BadtotheboneBob]

2. The Copts have been long abused in Egypt...

... only 10% of the population and at the untender mercies of the Muslim majority. There has been recently, though, attempts at unity with moderate Muslims pushing for a secular state. Turkey has been trying to influence the Egyptians to emulate their secular democracy much to the displeasure of the Iranians. Arab News headline: Iran to Turkey: Change Tack or face Trouble http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article513919.ece

[pinboy3niner]

3. Death toll climbing: Egypt forces clash with Copt protesters, 24 dead -AFP

By Samer al-Atrush and Ines Bel Aiba | AFP – 13 mins ago.


A curfew was imposed overnight in Egypt's capital after 24 people, mostly Coptic Christians, died in clashes with security forces in the deadliest violence since president Hosni Mubarak's fall.

More then 200 people were injured in fighting that erupted during a protest by Copts on Sunday, prompting a curfew in central Cairo, said official statements broadcast on public television.

At least five of the dead were mown down by a speeding army vehicle, a priest from the minority Coptic community said, while an AFP correspondent saw other bodies with gunshot wounds.

...


http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-forces-clash-copt-protesters-24-dead-040457547.html