Clashes between Copts and Egypt’s army forces

Violence erupts as Coptic Christians demonstrate outside state TV At least two people have been killed and 30 others wounded in clashes between Coptic Christians and Egyptian security forces on Sunday near the state television building, known as Maspero, Cairo, Al Arabiya TV reported .
Al Arabiya correspondent said there was heavy gunfire in the clashes as protesters seized weapons from torched military vehicles.
The clashes were prompted by an attack on a Coptic Christian church in Aswan on Sept. 30 by Muslims who said the church did not have the proper license to build a dome.
“The absence of a state of law is the cause of what is happening. Freedom of expression is the basis of a democratic society and a state of law,”Political analyst Amr Hashim Rabei told Al Arabiya.
“This has not happened for months. Coptic leaders should ask protesters to exercise calm and follow their case in courts.”
Speaking to Al Arabiya from Tahrir Square, Bashir Abdel-Fattah, of the official daily Al-Ahram, said more numbers of Copts were heading to the area of clashes.
“Copts from different neighborhoods of Cairo are still coming to the area in increasing numbers,” Abdel-Fattah said.


By Al Arabiya