Further Demonstrations in Aswan in Response to Church Attack


Large numbers of Coptic protesters again took to the streets around Aswan provincial headquarters to demand the construction of a church in the town of Marinab, near Edfu. A building used as a church suffered damage in an attack on September 30 following disputes about the legality of certain additions to the building. The construction and maintenance of churches is highly regulated by the Egyptian state.

At the protests, security forces protected the government building. A number of young people, including Muslims, from the Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution joined the demonstration. The reported number of demonstrators varied widely; one source estimated 1,500 people turned out, while another simply said that “tens” of people protested.