Egyptian Ministers Pelted with Stones by Angry Christian Demonstrators

 “At least 4,000 Copts, led by monk, Samaan El-Kharaz, were demonstrating near a monastery, chanting slogans insulting Islam and its religious scholars and demanding to execute offenders responsible for Alexandria’s terrorist attack,” Al-Mesryoon Egyptian daily newspaper said.
 
These developments came after angry Christian demonstrators pelted Mufid Shehab, Minister of State for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Councils with stones when attending as a representative of President Hosni Mubarak to attend the funeral on Saturday for victims of the Coptic Church of Alexandria.

Hundreds of Coptic Christians gathered inside the gates of Cairo’s St Mark’s Cathedral where the Coptic Pope, Shenouda III, has his headquarters and heckled officials who came to pay condolences.
 
Police officials also said that more than 1,000 Copts demonstrated outside the foreign ministry and neighbouring state television buildings. Some protesters pelted passing traffic, damaging many cars. Christian demonstrators also heckled police and showered them with stones as they shouted slogans against the government. At the Coptic Church in the northern city of Alexandria that was targeted by an apparent suicide bomber, prayers were held on Sunday.

Demonstrators chased the state Minister for Economic Development, Osman Mohammed Osman, to his car and pelted him with stones after he met Shenouda, while others clashed with police standing outside the gates.
 
Demonstrators also beat Major General Abdel Salam Mahgoub, Minister of Local Development and Engineer Ahmed Al-Maghrabi, Minister of Housing, where the latter fell unconsciousness after attempts to suffocate him.
 
“Hundreds of Copts had tried to open the doors of Mufid Shihab’s armored car, and tried to break the car window to assault him,” witnesses said.
 
Earlier, dozens of protesters tried to surround the Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, Egypt’s top Muslim cleric, and banged on his car after he went to see the Pope.
 
According to witnesses, more than 5,000 Copts demonstrated in front of the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Deir Mar Mina, chanting slogans against the president and the government, demanding American’s intervention to protect Christians from oppression and to overthrow the ruling regime.”
 
A police official said that at least 40 policemen suffered slight wounds when the protesters pelted them with stones.
 
More than a thousand protesters broke through the gates and spilled into nearby streets, stopping cars, banging on their hoods and pelting them with stones.
 
Hundreds of Copts continue to demonstrate in front of the Church of Saints, Sidi Bishr in Alexandria on Saturday, condemning the bombing, and chanting slogans against the President, the Government, and Sheikh Al-Azhar.
 
Several hundred protesters also gathered outside the targeted church in Alexandria, but fanned into nearby streets and set fire to garbage bins after police prevented them from nearing the church.
 
The attack on Saturday in the Mediterranean city sparked angry street protests in Alexandria, with clashes between hundreds of Christian youths and police.
 
MP Gamal Asaad announced that he intends to offer a formal apology to Sheikh Al-Azhar and the Mufti on behalf of the Egyptian church about attempts to attack them inside the Cathedral of St. Mark Abbassiya, expressing his sorrow for what happened as it poses a threat to national cohesion between Al-Azhar and the Orthodox Church.
 
In an exclusive statement to Al-Mesryoon, Assad added that the attacks were committed by angry and aggravated young men who were deceived by unknown entities seeking to subvert Egypt’s national security and ignite sectarian strife.
 
He accused some Coptic religious leaders of involving themselves in inciting Christian youths, considering those who seek to ignite sedition in Egypt as mercenaries who are motivated by money to subvert national security and ignite widespread violence between Muslims and Copts. He regretted that some Christian leaders form lobby groups to use religion for political gains.