CAIRO: 14 members of the Maspiro Youth Union resigned in a protest against the union's stance towards the Coptic Church and its leader Pope Shenouda III. Hany Ramsis, a former member of the union's political office, announced that their resignation has been accepted. He said the membership of the union has expanded, noting that the number of the members reached to thousands and thus their resignation will not impact the union that has branches all over the country. Ramsis expressed the union's respect for and appreciation of the church, its priests, and Pope Shenouda III. He also said the union has Muslim members who believe in the ideas and issues of the union. Ramsis said the union aims to support the national spirit and not spark sectarian tensions among Egyptians. The union will remain a symbol of the Egyptian national spirit that was fueled by the January 25 Revolution, he added. He also said the union will participate with different political entities in order to work for Egypt. Ramsis also announced that the union will participate in the million man demonstration scheduled to take place next Friday.
