The Alexandria church attack brought out both sentiments in ample portions, reports Mohamed Abdel-Baky After Saturday's devastating Alexandria church attack Egyptians protested in the streets to express anger as well as solidarity with the families of the victims. Several demonstrations over the past week were held in cities across the country, many witnessing clashes with security forces which left dozens injured, though most not seriously. The terrorist attack on New Year's Eve in the Two Saints Church in Alexandria killed at least 22 people, with more than 75 injured. Experts say the street unrest by Copts following the attack was the worst seen in the last three decades in Egypt, leaving many question marks hanging over the impact of the attack on the relationship between Muslims and Copts. On Tuesday, Cairo saw one of the biggest demonstrations after hundreds of Muslims and Copts protested in front of Maasara Church in a Cairo suburb where they were met by a large number of riot police. The protesters expressed outrage over the Alexandria attack, waving the cross and the Quran together. Many people, Christians and Muslims, took to the streets holding hands. "With my blood and soul I will defend the cross. All of us are Copts, all of us are Egyptians, all of us are brothers and sisters," the protesters chanted. Demonstrations were also staged in Shubra, a Christian stronghold with many churches, and which has always been a symbol of unity between Muslims and Copts in Egypt. Public figures and political leaders called for a candle-lit sit-in on 7 January, the Coptic Christmas day, to condemn the attack on the church. While peaceful protests were taking place, angry demonstrations in several cities were violent. Most notable was in Cairo's Al-Muqattam where hundreds of protesters clashed with the police, leaving more than 60 injured, most of them riot police. The demonstrators threatened more violence if Coptic demands were not met by the government. Protesters also tried to attack the head of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb, grand mufti Ali Gomaa, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Osman Mohamed Osman, and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, while the dignitaries were visiting Pope Shenouda III at his residence in Abbasiya Cathedral. Analysts told Al-Ahram Weekly that the church attack revealed the contradictions within Egyptian society in dealing with Coptic problems. "It's the first time in Egypt's history that we see such a crime," Mona Makram Ebeid, chairwoman of the Wafd Party's Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview with the Weekly. "The government must take serious steps on issues that have been pending for a long time." Ebeid added that what happened in Alexandria "shows how fragile the situation is and more ignorance could lead to sectarian violence." Most of the protesters who clashed with the police from both sides of the religious divide were teenagers who, experts said, have only superficial knowledge of the problem. Analyst Hani Labib said that youths were already angry because of unemployment, lack of housing and low salaries and that clerics on both sides were using them as fuel to burn the fire. "Most youths do not really know what they are talking about. They have energy but there is no place to use it," Labib said. "We want the government to let us build churches, as Muslims build mosques, and to protect us. This is why I am here to protest," said Mina Magdi, 27 and unemployed, during a demonstration in Alexandria. The Alexandria blast also brought Coptic problems to the fore in every Egyptian household and could be used to promote the idea of citizenship that includes serious reforms in education, politics and other fields. Last week, the Ministry of Education give mandatory classes to school students stressing the importance of unity between Muslims and Christians. But there was no mention of reforms or revising the curriculum of schools. "School curricula in Egypt is full of hatred towards Copts and other groups like the Bahaais," Bahieddin Hassan, director of the Cairo Centre for Human Rights Studies, said. "Our children have been raised to hate each other and take exams on how to do so," said Hassan, adding that "citizenship is the solution to all the problems of religious groups and would reinforce Egypt's national unity and advance its economic interests."
