At least 24 killed and 200 injured as Christians clash with Egyptian military in Cairo

At least 24 have died after fierce clashes erupted between Christians and the Egyptian military in Cairo yesterday.

A further 200 were injured in the rioting, sparked by a protest over a recent attack on a church in the South of the country.

Thousands gathered as the protest spread from outside the state television building along the Nile to nearby Tahrir Square.





Anger: Coptic Christians throw stones at a military vehicle.Victim: A protester is injured during the clashes with the military.Huge numbers: Thousands of Coptic Christians took part in the march.Before the clashes: The demonstrations began peacefully outside the state television station in central Cairo

The Christian protesters said their demonstration began as a peaceful sit-in at the television building.

But then, protester Essam Khalili said: ‘Thugs attacked us and a military vehicle jumped over a sidewalk and ran over at least ten people. I saw them.’

He said protesters set fire to army vehicles when they saw soldiers hitting Christians. But television footage of the riots also showed some of the Christian demonstrators attacking a soldier, while a priest tried to protect him.

Gunshots were heard as riot police tried to hold back the protesters as they chanted: ‘This is our country.’

After hours of intense clashes, chants of ‘Muslims, Christians one hand, one hand’ rang out, after which the protest calmed.

The clashes left streets littered with glass, stones, soot and ash.

Christians blame Egypt’s ruling military council for being too lenient on those behind a spate of anti-Christian attacks since the ousting of Hosni Mubarak in February.

Riots have broken out in recent weeks at two churches in southern Egypt, prompted by Muslim crowds angry over church construction.

One riot broke out near the city of Aswan, even after church officials agreed to a demand by local ultraconservative Muslims, called Salafis, that a cross and bells be removed from the building.

Aswan’s governor, General Mustafa Kamel al-Sayyed, further raised tensions by telling the media that the church was being built on the site of a guesthouse, suggesting it was illegal.

Protesters said the Copts are demanding the ouster of the governor, reconstruction of the church, compensation for people whose houses were set on fire and prosecution of those behind the riots and attacks on the church.

Last week, security forces used force to disperse a similar protest in front of the state television building. Christians were angered by the treatment of the protesters and vowed to renew their demonstrations until their demands are met.

Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority makes up about 10 percent of the country’s 80million people