CAIRO – Hundreds of Coptic Christians staged a sit-in on Ramses and 26 of July Streets in Cairo yesterday, protesting against incidents that occurred at Almarenab Church in Edfu, Aswan, in Upper Egypt. The sit-in paralyzed traffic movement on the street. The demonstrators called for the ousting of Aswan governor Mustafa el-Sayyed as well as an investigation into the church incident. Copts in Almarenab earlier turned a guesthouse into a church and built domes above it. Muslims in the village condemned the construction, which had gone ahead without proper permissions. Some Muslim protestors threatened to destroy the church. The sit-in was suspended for 48 until the demands are met. The demands include: the detainment and prosecution of all inciters of the church incidents; the reconstruction of the church; the resignation of the Aswan governor; and the formation of a fact-finding committee to look into the church incidents and compensate the owners of the destroyed homes. The protestors also called for the activation of the Law of Building Places of Worship as well as the Law of Non-Discrimination. The Copts issued a statement to the ruling military council and the Egyptian Cabinet, listing their demands. The protestors set up a platform in the middle of Ramses Street and some members of the Revolution Youth Council joined the demonstrators, calling on the military council to step down. Arabic here
