CAIRO: Military prosecutors have began investigations into the 25 people who were arrested late Sunday when clashes between military police and Coptic protesters broke out, leaving at least 25 dead and hundreds injured. The men were arrested outside Egypt's Maspero state TV building late on Sunday. A source inside the prosecution said the men attacked military property and attacked military forces. As such, they will be investigated and possibly tried in front a military court. Coptic protesters said the army attacked them unprovoked when they finished their march to Maspero on Sunday evening. The army opened fire on them and ran a number of protesters over with armored vehicles. Coptic protesters, who were protesting to advocate for their rights and condemn the burning of a Coptic church by Muslims in a small town in Aswan last week, denied being armed or attacking the military. Coptic activists at the scene told Bikyamasr.com that no protesters were armed, and accused state TV for the escalated violence, after airing lies and claims that Coptic militants attacked the army. State TV called upon Egyptian citizens to protect it “against the attacks of the Coptic protesters,” which drove scores of armed Muslim men out in the streets who later clashed with more protesters. BM
