Islamists occupy church land in Egypt to protest Coptic pope’s comments

November 08, 2012

With police looking on, a crowd of 100 Muslim extremists occupied land belonging to a Coptic Orthodox diocese after Pope Tawadros II, the church’s new head, announced his opposition to the imposition of Islamic law in Egypt. The occupation lasted for over a day.

“By seizing land that belongs to the Diocese of Shubra al-Kheima, Salafists are sending a warning to the new Coptic patriarch, Tawadros II," said Father Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Egypt. “Such an action is nothing new in Egypt, but this is the first time that extremists directly go after a high-profile Coptic prelate.”

 

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Further information:

• Salafists seize Church land in Cairo to hit back at new patriarch (AsiaNews)
• New Coptic pope says Egyptian constitution should not be Islamic (CWN, 11/6)