A villager told MCN that a fight broke out a few days ago between a Muslim and a Coptic student at Al-Galaa village during the school day and a guard at the school intervened to separate them, but fiercely attacked the Coptic student and then the students returned to their houses.
“Due to escalation of the problem, Copts refused to send their sons to schools after repetition of attacks of Muslim students on Copts before, during and after the school day,” he said. Villagers asked the security forces to carefully provide safety in the schools, he said.
A police car was sent to provide safety but it was insufficient, he added, and parents called on security forces and senior families to hold a meeting to calm the atmosphere.
A customary meeting was already held on Oct. 1 at the house of the village mayor in the presence of security leaders and a number of Coptic and Muslim parents, he said.
“The Copts called for leaving police cars inside the village and allowing the Coptic students to enter classes without attending morning assembly in order to avoid any clash with Muslim students and allowing them to leave the school 15 minutes before end of school day.” he said. He mentioned that these demands were refused and security forces intensified their presence but Copts have not gone back to their schools yet.
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