CAIRO: Violence erupted in a Cairo on Saturday over a relationship between a Coptic Christian man and a Muslim woman. Such a relationship is forbidden by tradition in Egypt as well as by Islam, which says Muslim women must marry Muslim men so their children are also Muslim. The clash took place in the village of Sol, in Helwan Governorate in southern Cairo. The woman's father was killed on Friday by his cousin because the father did not kill his daughter to protect the family's honor, reported state news agency MENA. The son of the deceased man then killed his father's cousin in revenge. Saint George's Church was set on fire during a clash with Muslim residents, and Saint Mina Church was also attacked. The army quickly intervened to put out the fire, disperse residents, and restore calm. On Sunday, hundreds of Copts from Atfeeh, an area south of Cairo, including priests took to the streets and protested in front of the Egyptian Television headquarters in downtown Cairo. They held banners condemning the lack of security presence and called on the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to protect Christians. They also called for the dismissal of the Governor of Helwan for his complicity and failure in protecting the church, and called for the restoration of the church. The protests continued on Monday, with Christians from other areas and Muslims joining the demonstration. Around 1,000 gathered outside the television building. Also on Monday, the head of the SCAF said the army will rebuild the church before the Easter holiday at the expense of the state. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf met the demonstrators and tried to appease them. The demonstrators welcomed Sharaf but refused to talk to him until the Governor of Helwan resigns. Monday afternoon, a sit-in by more than 10,000 people was ended after reaching an agreement with the army, which promised to begin reconstruction of the church on Tuesday in its original location. A mass is to be held Tuesday morning. There is a strong unity between Muslim and Christian communities in Egypt, particularly since the bombing outside a church in Alexandria on New Year's. During the Egyptian Revolution, that religious solidarity was strengthened as all Egyptians, as one, called for the resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak and a transition to democracy. During some of the more difficult times of the revolution, Christian Egyptians locked arms and surrounded their Muslim countrymen to protect them as they prayed in the streets. Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10-15 percent of Egypt's population. BM
