A group of Coptic Christian protesters marched from Shubra towards Maspiro in front of the Egyptian Radio and Television headquarters on the Nile Corniche in Cairo resulted in bloody clashes, deaths and injuries on Sunday October 9. The events started with the Coptic Christians protesting in front of Maspiro, which turned into a bloody series of events, extending downtown and Tahrir by the early hours of Monday October 10. The clashes resulted in 24 deaths and 372 injuries, including military forces and protesters. Military forces imposed a curfew to control the situation. Army forces sent 150 armored vehicles and 100 military police cars carrying 5,000 soldiers. Meanwhile, Central Security forces sent 10,000 soldiers and 200 armored vehicles and central security cars. The Egyptian Ministry of Health announced the death toll reached 24, including civilians and military soldiers. The number of injuries reached 372, including 107 civilians and 86 soldiers. The clashes started with a march they called the ‘Coptic Anger Day.' The march included hundreds of Copts wearing white with the names of victims of sectarian violence. They chanted slogans against the governor of Aswan and held up banners expressing their solidarity with Maspiro youths' protest, which the military forces ended by force. Residents interrupted the Coptic Christians march and threw rocks at them. A group of unknown people fired shots in order to scatter the protestors. Residents clashed with Christian protestors and started destroying surrounding vehicles. The situation escalated when many Coptic Christians and residents clashed during the march. Some Coptic Christians set fire to military police armored vehicles in anger upon arrival to Maspiro. The clashes resulted in injuries and so the military police fired shots in the air to separate and scatters the protestors. However, they could not control the situation and more force was applied. Injured military police pointed out the Coptic Christian protestors used firearms. Medical sources in Maspiro assured the injured included many military police soldiers. Medical sources also said three soldiers died as a result of the shooting. Many other soldiers suffered from fractures, cuts on their faces, hands and upper parts of their body as result of being attacked with knives. Doctors and medical staff demanded more medical aid and equipment. The injured were moved to the sides of the roads. The dead were placed in entrances of buildings after hours of clashes with security forces. Hundreds of military forces crowded in front of Maspiro to protect it. They pushed the protestors away and built a barricade in nearby streets. They also put armored barricades and armored vehicles on May 25 and October 6 bridges in order to keep out the protestors with knives, pistols, guns and sticks. More clashes took place on October 6 Bridge between protestors and security forces. Police forces used tears gas bombs in Abdel Moniem Riad Square while protestors responded by throwing rocks. At the same time, many Muslim and Christian youth headed towards Tahrir Square. They repeated slogans against military rule. Security forces controlled the situation in Tahrir Square and arrested dozens of youth. Security forces then supplied more central security soldiers and armored vehicles to Maspiro. Residents there followed protestors holding sticks and belts. Protestors tried to break into the Maspiro building and set fire to the houses around it but the residents prevented them. Protestors then set fire to public buses and some cars. Muslim youth arrived to Maspiro and chanted Islamic slogans and set fire to two cars. Another group of protesters marched towards Maspiro in order to follow the Coptic Christian protestors. The marching protesters threw rocks on the syndicate and attacked security members there because Coptic Chrisitian protestors were hiding inside its building. They also set fire to its façade. When police and army forces could control the marches and protesters of all sorts, it was a bit calmer in Maspiro and Tahrir Square. Many leaders headed towards both areas, including Cairo Security Director Major General Mohsen Mourad. Clashes continued and moved towards Ramsis Street but these clashes were between Copts Christians and Muslim. These clashes resulted in many injuries as well. A group of unknown people set fire to seven cars, a public bus and a building. Police forces tried to end these calashes and used tear gas. Civil defense cars arrived to Ramsis Street. They tried to put out the fires of the burning building and cars. Meanwhile, army forces supplied more 30 armored vehicles along Ramsis Street. Some protestors including Muslims and Christians protected the Coptic Hospital. Finally, military forces imposed a curfew onto Maspiro, Abdel Moniem Riad Square, Tahrir Square, Isaaf Square, Ramsis Square, the areas of Gamra, Abbasia and Kobry el-Qoba in order to control the situation.
