The assailants also tried to storm the village church and the church’s dispensary with the help of a number of Muslims from neighboring villages. Police forces, paramedics, and firefighters arrived at the village late after the events escalated and heavy firearms were shot.
Nabil Saad, one of the villagers, told MCN that the incident occurred after evening prayers because of a quarrel between a young Copt and a Muslim at a coffee shop. The Muslim asked to change the TV station, which was broadcasting a patriotic song.
“After the end of prayers, a massive march of Morsi supporters took to the streets. The march was followed by an attack on Coptic houses. Stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown, resulting in a fire in 7 houses,” Saad said. “We were surprised by Muslims from neighboring villages who flocked to the village and attacked the homes of Copts, chanting, “Allahu Akbar” [God is Great], and also slogans against Copts and Pope Tawadros.”
Another villager, Mina Fathi, said Muslims of the village have been mobilizing people for the day of incident since Morsi’s dismissal. She said they have rallied in the streets in support of Morsi, chanting slogans against Copts and threatening to attack and kill them if Morsi is not reinstated.
“Muslims attacked everything owned by Copts; they even threatened to attack the agricultural land,” noted Fathi. “There is an unprecedented incitement in the mosques of the village and officials do not intervene to stop it.”
For his part, Yasser Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Chairman of the Life Center for Human Rights in Minya, condemned the violence, describing it as a “terrorist” attack..
“Copts are partners in the nation and they have disagreed with the policies of Morsi. It is not acceptable to see Copts pay the price for expressing their political views,” Abdel Wahab added.
He demanded urgent investigation into the incident and to bring the instigators to justice as soon as possible. He also called for striking “with an iron fist” anyone who terrorizes Copts.
Mohamed Abdel Moneim, secretary of the Revolutionary Guards Party in Minya, said the sectarian strife is the last card used by the Muslim Brotherhood to exit with the maximum gains in return for ending the sit-ins in Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares.
“We reject the use of Copts as a card to put pressure on the government or to reap personal gains,” Abdel Moneim added. “Copts are subjected to systematic attacks that aim at igniting chaos in the country.”
He called for quick intervention by the army and the police to firmly confront anyone who wants to divide the national unity or sow terror among the Copts of Egypt
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Edited from: http://www.mcndirect.com/showsubject.aspx?id=48027 – by Emad Maher