This evening, an Islamist mob attacked Egyptian Coptic Christians at Abbasiya Cathedral, one of Cairo’s largest Coptic cathedrals.
Bombs and Molotov are being thrown continuously at #coptic #cathedral – people injured and surrounded #men #women #children keep praying!
— Petra Soliman (@pattyifur) April 7, 2013
The Cathedral is being attacked by MB thugs and security forces !! #Ikhwan #Egypt #Copts
— باشحت وطن لله (@TheBlueStone) April 7, 2013
According to AP, the Coptic Christians had been peacefully protesting Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi before the attacks began:
The Christians were chanting slogans against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, just as several thousand did earlier during the funeral service nearby in the Coptic Orthodox cathedral in Cairo.
The attacking mob, described by witnesses as residents of the area, forced the marchers to take shelter inside the sprawling cathedral complex. They also showered the protesters with rocks from the roofs of nearby buildings, according to witness Ibrahim el-Shareef.
Today’s attacks follow the death of four Coptic Christians killed in sectarian violence over the weekend.
Alastair Beach of the UK Independent is live-tweeting events as they unfold:
Scene next to cathedral on Ramses St now pic.twitter.com/o25u9sjtD1
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Couple of thousand ppl looking on as those still inside cathedral lob rocks and molotovs at their assailants outside
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Onlookers in Ramses St applauding as csf launch gas into cathedral compound
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Cathedral now. Thsnds of ppl. Continuous hail of rocks in and out. pic.twitter.com/2OUE8Q14U7
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
According to Beach, Egyptian security personnel are doing nothing to protect those inside the Cathedral from the mob:
Csf doing absolutely nothing to stop the fighting. Standing around as the rocks and molotovs continue to fly over the wall
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Young man with shiny metal handgun just climbed on Mobinil petrol station in full view of 30 csf and fired towards cathedral compound
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Some in crowd cheered, he was helped down by a man with a second handgun and then scampered back straight through csf lines
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Just hit by birdshot fired by guy on wall INSIDE cathedral towards onlookers in Ramses St.
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Guy who fired birdshot from inside did so after csf launched another gas canister into compound. Csf very much working against ppl inside.
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
7 guys on five storey roof overlooking cathedral compound now lobbing stones and at least one TV aerial onto ppl trapped inside
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Two fire engines just arrived
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Somehow guy scored direct molotov hit on fire engine after lobbing from inside. Csf respond with volley of gas.
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Is this what sectarianism in Masr looks like? Dozens cheer as csf officer launches gas at guys on wall in compound.
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Scene inside the cathedral now pic.twitter.com/5JhrRpetWp
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Ppl inside compound singing the revolutionary chant 'muslims and christians on one hand' as their mates defend compound from walls
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
Scene from roof inside cathedral as trapped ppl attack those outside pic.twitter.com/yjI5QhUdKw
— Alastair Beach (@Alastair_Beach) April 7, 2013
How significant are today’s events?
Difficult to overstate symbolic importance of cathedral compound to Copts in Egypt. This is an unprecedented catastrophe.
— Paul Sedra (@sedgate) April 7, 2013
The importance of the Coptic Cathedral cannot be emphasized enough. This is where our major holiday services are performed #Egypt
— janan (@venacava_) April 7, 2013
Allowing the most important church of #Copts in #Egypt to be attacked in full protection of police is an unbelievable crime of #MOI & #Morsi
— Jonathan Moremi (@jonamorem) April 7, 2013
Will the U.S. government do anything?
Not that they care about copts, anyway RT @Drdossadlydoss: Obama's hands are contaminated with the blood of the Copts of Egypt
— Nada Iskandar (@nadaskandar) April 7, 2013
https://twitter.com/EmadKarras/status/320897412120055808
If you pray, say a prayer for Egypt’s Coptic Christians.
Update:
This is not particularly reassuring:
https://twitter.com/EgyPresidency/status/320997000243990528
https://twitter.com/EgyPresidency/status/320998206831996928
https://twitter.com/EgyPresidency/status/320999634409504768
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